The Power of Memories Saga
by The Protector of Light
Summary: (Story of future children of Sora/Kairi and Riku/Unknown) Can two first time Keybladers save the world from the memories of their predecessors? Neither Akio nor Haru had any idea what would come when they left their homes that night; but they find themselves brought together on the adventure of a lifetime. (Multiple stories in same universe will be here)(Some cute romance)
1. Part 1: Discoveries Act I: Escape

**The Power of Memories Saga:**

**Part 1: Discoveries**

_Obligatory disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, any of the game's characters, worlds, weapons, etc. Some of the characters (the main ones especially) are OCs, and therefore my own creative property. Story takes place many years post games. __IT IS NOT CANON IN ANY WAY__. _

_Possible triggers: Mentions of cutting, eating disorders, abuse, suicide attempts, general depression and anxiety. Likely is not an accurate description of the first three due to researching being one of __my_ _triggers._

_Anyway, that's out the way, so I hope you enjoy! Thank you for reading._

_Beware of the heartless that make your heart beat quickly._

_They're just using your heart because theirs won't start._

_~Unknown_

Act I: Escape

Akio stared at the stars in the sky, bright and glimmering as ever in the moonlight, wondering about the stories that were shared with him by his parents years ago. Were they true? Or were they just fairy tales they had created to keep him happy and hopeful? These stories of their heroic feats throughout their adolescence, perhaps intended to inspire him to believe he could do anything with his life that he desired. And yet, his aunt and uncle always held him back from a normal life; they forbade him from sparring with the other teens, even from making friends at all. It was like they were afraid to lose their power over him.

Well he was through with that crap. He wrapped his hoodie more tightly around himself and crossed his arms in an attempt to stay warm. His parents were dead, but that didn't mean he belonged on a leash. He stood up and gazed out over the dark waters of the sea from the cold dock outside of town. He had walked there hours ago when his legal guardians surprisingly allowed him to leave to go to the library. He was good at hiding; and running. He had to be. He was too suppressed; everyone hated him. Literally: nobody had spoken to him unless they absolutely had to for more than a year and a half, including his own 'family', because he had just blocked them out for once, exploding on them when they attempted to punish him for his silence. He was done with it all. That was all.

Long ago he had been told by his parents, Sora and Kairi, that they were Keyblade Masters, whatever that meant. But they were gone now; nobody knew what had happened to them. They just disappeared without a trace when he was very young. His first clear memory was one of them hugging him in turn, waving with smiles on their faces as they left him behind. He had cried so much, felt so abandoned; it was as if he knew even then that they were never coming home.

He sighed as he climbed into his boat. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he was going to start by going where he hoped to find some trace; the small, abandoned islet far from shore. His parents and their friend Riku had once played their when they were children. They had taken him once before they left. He hadn't been there since; he didn't know for sure why he was going there, why he thought it would make some difference. Yet, it felt right. It seemed like it was something that must happen. Akio's journey began here, on the ocean, rowing in a direction that he wasn't sure was correct, but never fearing what would come. Where was the point in being afraid? Nothing could be worse than what he had now; a 'family' that had almost imprisoned him for his entire life; teacher and peers that were just as abusive; failing grades, lousy health, depression, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, even the fact that he had stopped eating. All of it was just as bad as anything else he could think of encountering. He wasn't going back to that. No. It was time for a change; and this was his first step.

_The gentle waves and the light breeze_

_Make it very difficult to hate._

_No matter how much pain_

_No matter how many lies;_

_Nor how many times_

_All that matters is this:_

_I'm still me._

_And I always will be._

Akio landed his boat by the deteriorating dock; it was a wonder that it still stood after so many years of storms without repair. Still, he remembered it all very clearly. The trees were far more overgrown now; the wild seemed to be taking over. Akio didn't want to disturb the serenity; all he wanted was to get away from everything. He sighed, thinking that he would more than likely end up back home before the next night. While no one would look for him here, he would need nutrition to survive in the hot sun without shade or air conditioning. He wondered if coconuts still grew on the other side of this island, and if he could live off of them for a while. He shook his head, rubbing his arms for more warmth. If it came down to it, he might give it a try. For now, he just walked down the beach, trying to pick up any memory that he might possibly be able to glean from the grains of sand and the time that had passed on this little island in the middle of nowhere. The falling down shack; he remembered going in it with his father; he remembered that they had used it to escape the rain. _I guess I have shelter at least… even if it looks like it might collapse. _He wasn't going to take anything for granted. He was done being a pessimist, at least for now.

He wrapped his hoodie tighter around him; the night was growing colder. He looked down at his pale, thin hands; _"How can someone be so pale living on this beautiful island? Surely he must get some sun!" _a 'concerned' girl once had said. Well, no. He didn't get any sunlight. He sighed. He was rarely allowed out of the house beyond going to and from school, where he was usually escorted. It was no wonder people didn't like him; he was living with the richest family on the islands. People believed that he was waited on hand and foot; but no. He did his best to stay out of sight. When he used to rebel, it only resulted in beatings from his uncle; _"We're not losing you too!"_ he would yell as Akio curled up in a ball, holding sobs within his childhood body and soul. He couldn't show weakness. He had only recently regained his courage; and he had been storing it for this day. He had his chance now; he was going to take it.

He clenched his hands and walked over to the small waterfall spring beside the shack. It seemed so magical; it didn't seem natural; it looked just like a fountain. He glanced to the left. "A cave?" Akio asked himself. "No," he sighed. "The Secret Place." The opening was very small. He had to duck to enter, even with his small frame. His crimson hair fell in his face, blocking his vision as he entered the room that was darker than the night; there were no stars or the moon to light the tunnel. He brushed it out of his face. The cave seemed to become brighter as he traveled deeper, which seemed quite bizarre. Still, he reached the center of the room; there was large door at the end; very strange. However, he was here for a different reason; he was here to see the drawings etched on the walls by children of the past, his parents' generation. So many memories surrounded him. He scanned the walls, trying to find a specific sketch; the only one that was important to him. He glanced at each of the odd scribblings, depicting many things that he had never seen before. He sighed in relief as he found the one he was looking for, his eyes locking on the stone wall. He crouched on his knees on the cold floor and touched the drawing; his mom and dad, sharing a paupu fruit. He smiled for a moment. They had been so happy. He wondered what that must have been like. "Why did you have to go away?" he asked quietly, knowing very well that he would get no answers.

Akio awoke stiff from sleeping on the cave floor. He felt safe there; it was like nothing could hurt him. He could tell from the lighting that it was not yet morning, but he got up and walked out of the cave. He yawned and stretched before he saw it; glowing yellow eyes in pools of darkness, slowing rising up into strange, alien-esque creatures. "What the—" he asked. "What's going on?" He backed up, finding himself cornered. "I have to get out of here!" He darted between the creatures, but there were just too many of them; they even covered his boat, his only escape route. "I'm going to die, aren't I?" he asked, resigned to his fate. He had no intention to die today, but he had no weapon, nor did he even know how to fight if he had one. "Damn it!" he screamed up at the sky. "Why the hell can't you just give me a break?"

He stood still, surrounded by the creatures of darkness; they were climbing him, overwhelming him. But he did not fight. Sure, he was scared; he was terrified. He had always hated the darkness. "Mommy, Daddy, why did you have to go away and leave me with nothing?" He didn't even care that he sounded like a weak child when he called them that; that was how he had known them… that was who they were and always would be. He took a deep breath, crossing his arms instinctively to try to protect his heart. "Why?" he shuddered as he grew colder than ever before.

With a sudden wave of heat there was a bright light, blasting the creatures back. He felt a weight in his hand. He looked down, his body shaking as though he had been in icy waters. "Is this a… Keyblade?" he stared that the sword in his hand, the odd shape, the strong metal firm against his tight grip.

He knew the theory behind how to fight; he rushed forward, swinging the sword at the creatures. He seemed to be doing pretty well, all things considered. A fourteen year old boy beating the crud out of a bunch of alien creatures from the shadows with a giant key; he would have thought it was hilarious if he hadn't been running on pure adrenaline. Somehow, he managed to fight them off to the point he had space to run; he didn't know where he could go, but he had to run. "The Secret Place!" he said as he headed towards the cave.

There was a door where the cave entrance had been, a double door intricately decorated with carvings of swirls; it was like nothing he had ever seen before. The creatures were catching up; he had no choice but to step through. He opened the door and rushed into the light that came from within.

And found that he was standing on a platform of stained glass.

_Down and down_

_Deep and dark_

_I know not where_

_I will depart._

_I do not know_

_What now my come;_

_It shall grow,_

_This guiding light._

_I will win_

_My final fight._

((Author's note: Please bear with me. Akio seems very stereotypical the first few chapters. It's because he is; there's nothing unique about him that he knows about yet. But I promise he becomes a very interesting character, at least to write.))


	2. Act II: Fate

Act II: Fate

"What the hell?" Akio asked the dark abyss where he found himself. The stained glass floor where he stood was all he could see; there was nothing beyond this large, round structure. He looked at the Keyblade that still rested in his hand. It was completely plain, and rather heavy; a simple silver key with a gold hilt and a chain hanging from the base, ending in a strange shape of three circles, which with some imagination could perhaps be seen as a mouse. "Where'd this thing come from?"

He stared intently at the weapon, trying to draw some memory that might lie within. Something lay hazily deep within his consciousness, attempting to break to the surface. He concentrated every brain cell on pulling on the locks and chains holding it back…

His third birthday, very fuzzy, but there. The party was annoying and tedious, so he hid in his room until all of the guests were gone. It was nighttime before he snuck out into the living room. His parents were quietly speaking to one another in the moonlight. He crept behind the couch and up into a chair, grabbing a book and starting look through the pictures out of boredom. He couldn't remember what the book was about, because soon he heard his parents say his name. They came over to where he sat; his father conjured a Keyblade; the one that was in his hand right now…

Akio shook his head, trying not to become distracted. His father had placed the sword in his hand; it was too heavy for a three year old to lift, so he held the other end. _"I know you are young,_" his father said. _"But we think you're ready." _His mother patted Akio on the head as he looked at them curiously. _"This is a Keyblade. It will protect you when the time is right. Always keep it with you in your heart, and use it to protect those that you care about." _They were smiling._ "We love you so much. We're so proud of you," _his mother said.

The memory faded; that was all that he could remember. "So this is his…" Akio glanced at the Keyblade once more, holding it tightly in his hand as though to remember the touch of his father's hand. "I guess I need this now… but why? I don't have anyone to protect… Do I?" He sighed, looking around. "What could this mean?" Accept that they were probably really dead, since it was his father's Keyblade. He was devastated. He had always held onto hope that maybe his parents were alive somewhere and would come back for him, being there for him once more. Sure, he had always known it was a pipedream, but it kept him alive.

He as he stepped forward, the glass began to shatter beneath his feet. He stared at the pattern; it was… his parents, holding hands on a paupu fruit background. "What the hell?" he asked as he shifted his weight to continue his step; he knew he couldn't stand there long. He couldn't hold on forever. He had to move on, even if this was the end. He couldn't be afraid, not now. He had to be brave… for them.

He fell for what seemed like an eternity before reaching another platform, landing safely on his feet. This one was a depiction of a group of friends in black cloaks, hand in hand… Keyblades were visible. More Keyblade Masters… _What's going on?_

There was a set of stairs across the platform, made of panels of stained glass as well. He searched for another path to follow. Seeing no other way, no other options, he decided to proceed, hoping that the glass would hold this time. Each step he took made him feel colder. So cold; he felt as though he would freeze to death at any moment. Still, he walked, knowing that there was nothing he could do about it. He tried to hold onto his remaining heat; he had to keep moving. There had to be some way out of this place, some way to get back to reality.

The stairs loomed over the black chasm, no bottom in sight. Akio gulped, trying not to look down as he walked carefully in the very center of the path. There was nothing in sight ahead, but he hoped with all he had remaining that it led in the right direction. He wrapped his hoodie tightly around him. He was glad that he had dressed warm; he always did, but still. His arms were crossed, covering his heart. He laughed nervously, wishing he was braver, but he was terrified. He was not cut out for stuff like this; he was an absolute chicken, scared of his own shadow. It was how he had been raised. Fear everything because anyone can hurt you; things can change for the worst when you least expect it. He was a scared teenager: fourteen years old, afraid of everything, even himself. He had harmed himself before, wondering what it was like to control the pain you received; and he had enjoyed it at the time. But now that was behind him. He wanted to choose his own path, make a difference, just as his parents had. At least he liked to believe that they had.

Saving the worlds was a stretch; he would be perfectly satisfied writing a book; but that wasn't going to happen now. He had the Keyblade. He had been chosen, he supposed, and he had to do what must be done; whatever that may be. _Ugh, why me?_

He finally saw another platform in the distance. He was freezing beyond what he ever could have imagined. Cold and darkness were all that surrounded him, just like always; it hadn't been so literal before. Akio was tired of it all.

He reached the top and cautiously went to the center. This platform had another that he knew; Riku, with Akio's parents. They all seemed so happy, these platform-people. Why couldn't he have something like that?

He surveyed his surroundings and saw no other exit. He glanced at the ground at his shadow. _Odd… Where's the light coming from? _ He took a step forward. His shadow began to rise, growing larger. He backed up, turning to escape down the ramp; but it was gone. He nearly fell from the platform in his attempt to flee. He yelled, wheeling around to face the now giant enemy. _How the hell am I supposed to deal with that thing?_ He knew though; he must fight. He knew he would probably fail; more than likely be defeated in no time; but he wanted to survive, and he saw no other option but to fight. He held out his hand, glad to see the Keyblade appear.

Akio ran at the beast. It followed a specific pattern; he quickly learned to anticipate each attack, and felt like was doing fairly well defending himself. Then more of the smaller shadow creatures rose from below and began to attack as well, changing the tides. _No fair!_ He began to be overwhelmed, assaulted from all directions, doing his best to fend them all off. A pool of darkness formed beneath him. He was sinking. He struggled, trying to escape, but it was no use. _This is it,_ he thought in dismay. The monster moved closer. _I guess I'll see you soon, Mom and Dad._ He closed his eyes, letting himself be overcome, no longer struggling.

_I can't give up. No. This can't be the end!_ He opened his eyes, determined to win. "I might be afraid of the darkness, but that won't stop me!" He resumed his attempts to escape. "I'm not going to give up! If I'm going out, I'm going out fighting, like my parent's would! I'm not going to stand here and let this happen!" _Where's the sudden courage from?_

The creatures disappeared, returning to the shadows and fading away. He was back on the platform, once again solid beneath him. A door appeared ahead in a burst of light; the same door as had been on The Secret Place. "What the hell?" Akio asked himself as he strode forward. He did not feel cold; he was no longer shaking. He opened the door with confidence, light flooding over him once more; still, he entered without hesitation. He knew fear did nothing but hold him back; he had to be brave; brave like his father, mother, Riku, all of the other brave people that he had known. The light was blinding as he stepped through the threshold.

_The light blinds me._

_Yet it reminds me_

_That there is hope._

_This is not the end._

_This is a new start._

_All I must do_

_Is follow my heart._


	3. Act III: Reunion

Act III: Reunion

Akio felt the surface change beneath his feet. He was now on a wide ledge, the door nowhere to be found. He looked around in confusion. "A clock tower?" There were no clock towers on the Destiny Islands to his knowledge. The sun was setting below the horizon. _That's not my sunset. _Colors of setting sun illuminated the world like a painting; however, it was very different from any he had seen before. The sea glistened calmly in the distance._ That's not my ocean! _He looked down, regretting the action when he saw how far it was to the ground. He stepped back before peering down once more, seeing no plants, nor palm trees; no grasses, no flowers. _Where am I?_

Akio turned the corner and discovered a staircase. _Well that's good, _he thought. _At least I'm not stuck here forever. _He descended the stairs cautiously, looking around as he walked. He was in a… train station? Only having read of such things in books, he couldn't know for sure. These _looked_ like trains, in any case. It was all quite bizarre. _How did I get here? _He was completely puzzled. There were people milling about the building, but he didn't approach anyone; he didn't want to freak anyone out by asking where he was. Besides, he hated talking to people; people didn't generally try to have conversations with him, so why should he bother? It wasn't like he had any social skills. _Just keep moving_. He paused for a moment; that voice was not his own… surely it was just his imagination.

He passed through unnoticed, at least as far as he could tell. _That's positive_. Not knowing where to go, he followed where his feet led him. What else could he do; he definitely hadn't planned for _anything_ when he left home, let alone something like this. As confused as he was, he wasn't so afraid anymore; it felt like things were right, like this was the beginning of his journey. Even if he had to go it alone, it wasn't like he hadn't always lived that way; he didn't need anyone to back him up.

There was an opening in a wall of a market-type area. Seeing there were trees on the other side, he decided he might as well go through. It wasn't a dense forest that he entered; just a thick tree line. He could even see the other side. Akio walked through the serene woods, careful to step over tree roots that might have tripped a less cautious person. On the other side, there was a large fence surrounding a gigantic white house. A mansion, he supposed. It wasn't spectacular, other than the overgrown gardens. They were impressive; he had never seen some of the contents within: the square-cut hedges, the crumbling stone path, the ivy climbing the walls. They were so strange, so new.

He approached the door, not knowing of why he was drawn there. It was open far enough to squeeze through; sure that the structure was abandoned, he entered the dusty building. The room he found was filled with run-down furniture and a crumbling staircase. He strode across the room to look out the window. The back yard was in more disarray than the front.

A chair screeched across the floor. He wheeled around to face the sound and saw more of the yellow-eyed shadow creatures accompanied by a few larger creatures that shared characteristics. He recognized the symbol on their chests; it was something he had drawn since he was a child: "These are… Heartless?" _How do I know that? I've heard of them, but… how do I know that's what the symbol means? _Regardless, Akio conjured his Keyblade and began to fight as the creatures pounced on him. All things considered, it was going well; but there were simply too many heartless for one person to fight. "This sucks," Akio said, annoyed. Still, he wasn't about to give up; not now.

Another shape appeared out of nowhere and joined in attacking the Heartless. A person; there wasn't time to question it or pay much attention to detail. They still had to get rid of these stupid creatures. It was much easier with help, so he wasn't taking this for granted.

"Are you okay?" another male teenage voice asked when the last enemy was defeated.

Akio looked over: silvery blue hair, turquoise eyes looking concerned. He knew this person. "Haru?" he asked.

"Akio?" Haru asked in return. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Akio replied, a bit uncomfortable; it was hard to trust people, but… "I honestly don't know for certain how I got here; your guess is as good as mine."

Haru shook his head. "Well, I'm glad to see a familiar face; I don't really know how I ended up here either," he came closer; Akio couldn't prevent taking a step back out of instinct. "I just walked through a door. Then I was in some weird empty space where I fought a giant one of those monster things. After that I walked through another door and ended up here."

"That's weird; it was the same for me, only I ended up on the clock tower." Akio was ecstatic to see Haru and be able to speak with him; he relaxed quickly.

They had been friends early in life before his parents and Haru's father, Riku left. Of course, Akio's jerk-face aunt and uncle stepped in and threatened Haru's mother and forbade the friends from speaking. He didn't listen at first, but that resulted in getting screamed at and kicked to the ground. When Haru saw the bruises, he stopped trying to talk to Akio. Regardless, the two boys shared a silent understanding that they would always be friends, no matter what happened. Akio felt safe in the presence of his kind face.

Haru walked over to Akio and looked at him in the eyes. "You look like hell washed over," he said with a frown.

"Gee, thanks," Akio replied sarcastically. "It's summer. I can't even go outside. What do you expect, a picture of health?"

Haru furrowed his brow. "I've always hated those creeps." He sighed. "Don't they at least feed you?"

He was unwilling to state the truth, so he turned his head. He didn't eat, but it wasn't entirely their fault… Now, it was weird having someone care. In the end he told a half-truth. "Sometimes," he said quietly. Suddenly he was pulled into a hug. "What the—" he asked in confusion, but returned the embrace, if a bit awkwardly. It wasn't like he'd had a hug recently.

"God, Akio, how can they do this to you?" Haru said with concern. "Sometimes I wonder if they're even human."

"I do too… It's great to see you," Akio said, ending the hug since Haru didn't seem to be. "And be able to talk to you for once."

"Yeah," Haru said, stepping back. "They can't hurt you here."

"Anyway… how have you been?" Akio asked trying to divert the attention away.

Haru chuckled. "Okay I suppose. I can't complain too much."

"I guess we can catch up now," Akio said. "I mean, we're sticking together, right?"

Haru's eyes brightened; he seemed surprised. "You want me around?"

Akio tilted his head uncomfortably. "Um… why wouldn't I? You're my best friend— well, I consider you to be anyway. I guess I don't know what you think of course." He looked away. _Why did I just assume that? _ "But if you don't want to hang around me, I understand."

Haru's face lit up with a smile. "Of course you're my friend, Akio!" he said excited, nearly bouncing with enthusiasm. "I'm not going to leave you alone. I can't tell you how much I've wanted to talk to you," he laughed before pausing. "Who taught you to fight by the way? You were really holding your own back there."

"I really was just winging it," he said, shaking his head. "I had no idea what I was doing; I'm just glad it worked."

"That was awesome for no practice." He grinned. "I mean, my mom taught me how to fight, so I'm not surprised I could defend myself. But that was really incredible."

Akio raised an eyebrow. It was strange to see so much positivity. "Uh… Not really. I mean, I was just holding them back. I would have crashed and burned if you hadn't shown up when you did."

"You would have been okay," Haru argued. "But I'm glad I could help."

"Thanks." Akio looked around. "What now?"

"Well," Haru began, "do you have any idea what those 'things' are?"

Akio shrugged. "I have a hunch, but I have no way to know for sure." He sighed. "I think they are Heartless. You know those things that our parents fought a long time ago?" _Huh? How do I know…? I guess they told me before they left?_

"What?" Haru asked. "Weren't those things gone?"

"Beats me. I didn't really get to talk about that stuff very much." Akio looked at the ground.

"Oh," Haru said quickly. "I wasn't— I mean, I didn't think about it. Sorry."

Akio looked at Haru. "It's okay. I'm used to them being gone. Remembering doesn't hurt anything."

"I know what you mean. I haven't seen my dad since I was three." Haru looked away. "But let's drop it. What are we going to do from here?"

Akio shrugged one shoulder lazily. "I have no idea. I don't even know where we are." Looking away from his eyes, he saw that Haru was wearing a blue tank top with a smiley face with sunglasses on it. _That fits his personality so much that it's not even funny._

"Well, I think this is Twilight Town," Haru said. "I remember the stories that my mom told about other worlds, and Twilight Town sounded like this. The mansion, the clock tower, the sunset; it all lines up."

Akio sighed. "Maybe. But what good does it do to know where you are when you don't know where to go from there?" He took a deep breath. "I have no idea what's going on or why we're here. Why do we suddenly have Keyblades; and how did we end up in the same place? What are the chances?"

"I don't believe in coincidences," Haru agreed. "Still, this is a good thing, right? I mean, it got you away from home. There must be some purpose to all of this."

"You're probably right." Akio brushed his bangs out of his face. "There has to be some reason that we suddenly ended up here. Maybe we just have to find out… but how?"

"I guess we just keep exploring this place," Haru said. "We were drawn to this mansion. There must be something important here, right?"

Akio nodded. "I guess we just look around."

"Yeah." Haru turned to look back over his shoulder. "Let's go upstairs.

Akio rushed ahead up the stairs in front of Haru. He reached the top of the staircase and looked around. "This looks like the only door," he said, pointing towards a double door to the left down a hallway. He started walking towards it.

"Wait up!" Haru yelled from behind. "You don't know what could be in there! We need to stay close to each other." He ran to catch up. Together, they got to the door quickly. "Let me go first," he said, shoving his way in front of Akio.

"Um… Why?" Akio crossed his arms in annoyance.

"Because. I've been given lessons on how to fight. You said yourself that you're 'just winging it'." he said quickly and defensively.

Akio nodded. "I guess that makes sense…"

Haru looked relieved that Akio didn't argue. "Right. So let's go." He opened the door, looking in. "Looks like the coast is clear."

Akio followed him into the room. It was plain white other than sloppy crayon drawings taped to the wall. "This is weird," he said, turning in a circle to see everything. _Why do I feel like I've been here? _His eyes focused on an empty doorway; it led to a staircase down into a dark room. "Let's go that way," he said, starting in that direction.

"Seriously, wait up!" Haru yelled from behind, rushing to catch up once more.

Akio cautiously descended the stairwell. Surprisingly, it was metal, not like the wood in the other areas of the house. The staircase was long and steep. When they reached the bottom, they entered a room with strange, fancy computers, and some 'pod' type things like out of horror movies. "What the hell?" he said quietly, coming to a stop, leaving just enough room for Haru behind him.

"Whoa," Haru said in awe. "What is this stuff?" He walked over to one of the computers. "This doesn't seem like it works." He leaned on the keyboard; the screen lit up instantly. "Maybe it does," he said, jumping back.

Akio came over. "I can't read it though; it seems corrupted." The letters looked like they were melting and running across the screen too quickly to keep up with; still, he tried. "This is weird. I've never seen anything like this." He watched for a while longer, catching some glimpses of a few words: Heartless, Nobody, darkness, before something else caught his eye. "There's another door. Let's move on. We can always come back."

"Yeah." Haru walked towards the new doorway. The door opened automatically as he approached. "What in the world?" he asked in surprise.

"This is some weird technology; I haven't seen these kind of things back on the islands," Akio said. It was all very strange; more so since he seemed to recognize some of it. He was positive he'd never seen such. Continuing into another sterile, dark and silvery blue room, this one fairly large with grid-like tiles across the floor, they walked to the center; Akio heard a strange click from behind. He turned to face the sound; more Heartless appeared. "Again?" he said, annoyed. _Time for another fight._

"Let's do this," Haru said, bringing out his sword as well.

The ensuing fight was a bit lengthy, but they defeated the enemies with little injury. Another door opened across the room. "This way next?" Akio asked, walking towards it.

"Guess so." Haru was only a few steps behind.

The next room contained more computers, these more complicated than the previous. Akio touched the keys hoping for the same result. The screen lit up in response. Text covered the screen. These words were stationary and properly formed. He read silently and quickly. "If you see this, maybe you can help us," it began. Akio paused in concern. "I don't know how it happened: the Heartless have returned. We Keyblade Masters went to investigate. We disappeared one by one. I was the last to remain. I couldn't find the others. I couldn't even find my best friends… but that's not the point. I'm going to The World That Never Was; it has returned, and I have a hunch that I will find everyone there. This is my last stop. I don't know if I'll make it back… So, maybe you can help us. If you managed to make it this far you might be strong enough to find us. There is a Gummi ship at the top of the clock tower. You should be able to use it…" There was a large empty space before one more area of text. "If this is Haru, I need you to know this. I love you so much. Please be careful. I'm sorry I didn't make it back home…" It was signed: 'Riku'.

Akio gasped, pointing at the screen. "Look!"

Haru rushed over and read, his eyes moving along with the text. His eyes widened at the ending statements. "Dad? Dad wrote this?" he said in shock. "We have to find him!" He started to shake.

"Hey, hey, calm down!" Akio grabbed his shoulders. "We'll go search for him; but you have to calm down." Haru began to silently cry from the stress and sudden hope, regardless of how bleak it could be. _Where'd that positivity go? _"It's going to be okay," Akio said awkwardly. _What do I do? People don't normally act like this… _He pulled his friend into a hug. "It's going to be okay."

They stayed like that was a while, Haru sobbing into Akio's shoulder, Akio standing there awkwardly hugging him. Haru finally calmed down and let go. "Sorry about that," Haru said, looking embarrassed. "That was just really overwhelming."

"It's okay. I understand that it had to be weird to read something like that, written by someone you haven't seen for so long." Akio was trying to say the right things, but he didn't have a clue. "I mean, it was weird for me too. A shock, really." Akio said, smiling awkwardly. He didn't know how to deal with this kind of thing, but he was trying to be a good friend anyway.

"Thanks," Haru said. "You're awesome."

Akio looked away in embarrassment. "Not really."

"Yes you are. But I won't push it, don't worry." Haru sighed. "Let's get out of here and find the clock tower!"

"I know where it is. That's where I was when I got here."

"Cool," Haru said as he led the way.

They were exhausted by the time they made it outside. "We should find somewhere to rest," Akio said. They had been wise enough to grab some blankets from the mansion in case they might need them. "We shouldn't try to figure out how to work some strange ship right now. We don't want to crash or something."

"I guess you're right…" Haru said impatiently. "But I definitely don't think the mansion is the place to stay. I mean, it's teeming with Heartless."

"There's a woods up ahead, through that opening." Akio pointed it out and led the way. "We need to go through there anyway."

"It's as good as anything." Haru sighed, following.

_It's deep and dark_

_Down below_

_Beyond the edge_

_The silent snow_

_But we must go._

((Author's note: And suddenly, Haru appears! I wrote this part back in November for NaNoWriMo, and he kind of just showed up and I rolled with it, coming to like him through time. So, sorry he wasn't mentioned before and had to have that quick introduction; Akio wouldn't have thought about him before now anyway…))


	4. Act IV: Emotions

Act IV: Emotions

The heat of a fire kept them warm. Haru gazed across the dancing flames, studying Akio's gaunt face; his eyes were sunken, his bones easily visible. His white sweater was far too large for his thin form. He seemed so sad, so beaten down; yet there was determination glimmering in his bright blue eyes. Haru was glad that remained.

For so many years, he was forced to watch Akio suffer from the distance, only rarely able to help from behind the scenes. He had to be careful; he had to stay away for his safety, knowing that Akio would be punished if he were caught. It had become harder as the years passed; seeing him slowly starving, catching quick glimpses of cuts and bruises when he unthinkingly rolled up his sleeves in the halls of the school on the hottest days.

_Why does it have to be this way? _Haru wondered, looking away when Akio noticed he was being watched. "What's wrong?" Akio asked with a concerned expression. "You were looking at me funny."

"Nothing," Haru quickly replied. "I was just lost in thought. Don't worry about it."

Akio shrugged, causing his sweater to slide down his shoulder. He quickly tugged it in place. "Whatever. I'm going to try to sleep." He stood and headed to the make-shift beds they made. "Goodnight."

Haru smiled. "Goodnight. I'm not going to stay up too much longer; I'll put the fire out when I head to bed." _Oh my god, he's barely even there._

"Okay," Akio replied, lying down.

Haru stared at the glowing fire. Why did he always have to be so quiet? Why couldn't he be there for his friend? His best friend for all of eternity? He still remembered that promise at least, even if it had been years ago.

Haru looked down at his hands; it made him realize how skeletal Akio's were in comparison. He had watched Akio from afar, seeing him grow and change, becoming more and more miserable. He asked his mother constantly if they could take Akio away from his abusive guardians, but she always replied that she had tried; that there were laws preventing it since his relatives won the original lawsuit. She could be accused of kidnapping. She said that he would be safer if they kept their distance, even after Haru pointed out the bruises that became more obvious as time passed. And then there was Haru's stepdad when he came along; he wasn't so bad, but he didn't give a damn about Akio; he was 'not their problem'. It was a terrible, disgusting feeling to helpless to protect his friend.

Of course, Haru knew there was more causing the situation to become even awkward. He felt so stupid; Akio would never feel the same way. _God. Why am I such a sap? _ They hadn't spoken for years until earlier that day. But there was just something about Akio, something amazing that Haru couldn't help but love. Perhaps it was the way he carried himself; Haru just wanted to protect him from everything. That was why it was so much more miserable to stand back and watch him suffer.

Now they were finally together again. Haru told himself when he saw Akio fighting the Heartless that he would forget about this whole thing; that he'd put it aside so they could be friends once more and stick together. Surely he could get over it. It was just a crush from afar; it would pass… or at least he thought. The more Akio spoke, the more he fell in love. This brave soul was strong even through the misery. And then there was the way he smiled, like a ray of sunlight breaking through the storm-clouds. The way that he walked with his arms crossed like he was cold made Haru want to hold him and protect him from anything that might possibly hurt him… Of course, he was quite attractive with his beautiful blue eyes, crimson hair falling in his face, and that smile. On top of it all, when Akio hugged him and held him close to comfort him while he was so overwhelmed, it was impossible not to fall more deeply in love. Akio was just so kind, so sincere; the best person he had ever known.

Haru couldn't help but wonder why it had to be this way. Why did he have eyes only for someone he hadn't even spoken with for ten years, someone who surely didn't and never would feel the same? How many girls, and guys for that matter, had Haru turned away, while fully knowing there was no chance? _Geez, this sucks._ He couldn't say anything, no matter how much he wanted to. They needed each other to stay safe; he couldn't scare Akio away with something weird like that. It wouldn't be safe for either of them to go out on their own.

_Really,_ Haru thought. _Why does it have to be this way? Why can't I just have normal emotions? Why can't I just push my feelings away, if only for a while? How am I going to keep hiding this? I suck at hiding things. _He sighed, deciding he should go to bed and stop thinking about it. Sitting there moping and feeling sorry for himself wasn't solving anything. He felt pathetic._ So pathetic._

He poured water over the fire before walking over to the sleeping area. Akio lay there asleep, uncovered and shivering. Haru sighed and put an extra blanket on his friend. He scooted his bed a little further away from Akio's, knowing it would be awkward to be so close. He settled in to sleep.

Of course, it couldn't be that easy. He was staring at the sky when he heard a small noise. He turned to look at Akio; he was whimpering in his sleep, curling even more tightly into a ball under the blankets. _Should I wake him up?_ Haru wondered, deciding it would be best. He couldn't leave him there, suffering in a nightmare. "Akio?" he said in an attempt to wake him. It didn't work. "Akio?" Haru gently shook his friend; suddenly a fist collided with his face, making him yelp in surprise.

"Oh my god, sorry!" Akio said, wrapping his arms around his chest nervously. "Sorry, sorry…" He stared at the ground.

"It's alright." Haru held a hand up to where he'd been hit; _Ouch_. "Really, it's fine. I startled you. You weren't expecting it."

"No, it's not okay. I shouldn't assume I'm under attack…" Akio grabbed Haru's hand, moving it to the side to see the injury. "Geez, I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"

"I'll be fine," he insisted… but _assuming he was being attacked_? What the hell were those bastards doing to him? _Oh god, he's touching my hand. _His heart fluttered._ No, calm down… it's just a friendly gesture. _"You've got a good right hook." He laughed nervously. Maybe one day, Akio would be comfortable enough to tell him. But for now, he wouldn't push the issue.

Realization crossed Akio's face. "Oh my god. Did I really say that I think…? Geez, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hit you."

"It's okay. Really. Also, I'm not going ask questions. Don't worry about it." Haru paused. "But you can talk to me about anything, anything at all, if you need to."

Akio sighed. "Thanks. But really, I'm fine." He slowly calmed down, his body less tense, his breathing softening. "I'm really sorry for punching you. It was totally wrong."

"Seriously, don't worry about it!" Haru insisted. "Let's talk about something else; or we can just try to sleep again."

"I don't want to keep you awake," Akio replied.

"I really don't mind staying up," Haru said. _Am I being too pushy?_

"Nah. It's fine," Akio said with a fake smile. "I'm tired anyway."

"If you're sure…" Haru said, settling back in.

"Night," Akio said.

"Night." Haru stared at the sky until he heard Akio's breathing settle into a more even pattern of sleep. He looked over; this was going to be extremely difficult.

_These feelings are bittersweet._

_To feel love is great;_

_But it could be my defeat._

_I can't have it all._

_I realize that._

_I should be happy_

_With what I have._

_That's how it has to be._

((Author's note: RED ALERT RED ALERT: HARU HAS A STEPDAD!

And there is more reasoning for the love thing. All will be explained.)) ((I don't usually do author's notes, so sorry to throw these in.))


	5. Act V: Connected

Act V: Flight

Akio had no idea what time he finally woke up. The sun had not moved from its stationary position. Sitting up and looking around, it took a moment to process where he was. This world was so weird. Somehow it was sunset regardless of how much time had passed. But it didn't really matter; time just a construct anyway.

He looked over at Haru. _Geez that was embarrassing_. Did he really overreact so much that he punched his friend when he barely nudged him? Did he really say he was afraid of being attacked in his sleep? _Ugh, _he thought, shaking his head knowing that he couldn't change the past. But how was he going to face his friend after that? It's not like he could go away out of anxiety over what could be considered by most as a tiny issue. It wasn't safe for either of them to be alone; they needed to stay together.

He pulled his necklace from his jacket; a Wayfinder. He smiled as he looked at the sloppily made charm; he recently read that he had used the wrong materials… apparently they required a specific, similar looking shell to the ones he used. Regardless, he had made this and one for Haru long ago on Haru's third birthday, before anyone had gone missing. _I guess it's weird that I still carry this around. I wonder if he even remembers these._ Akio wanted their hearts to always be connected… maybe Haru was who he was supposed to protect. Either way, he didn't want to be alone anymore. He hid the charm once more; it was always with him, even in the worst of times. It was the reason he survived.

Haru was still asleep, sprawled out on the ground outside of his blanket. _He's so cute… _Akio blinked at the thought._ Wait, what? _Now he was more embarrassed than before. _Really?_ Reunited with his old best friend after all of these years, and suddenly he found him 'cute?' More than likely it was just some kind of weird happiness that he was interpreting wrong. Haru yawned, stretched, and sat up, rubbing his eyes. _So freaking adorable. Damn it. Why do I keep thinking that?_

Haru looked over. "Good morning," he mumbled sleepily. "You still okay?"

Akio nodded, trying to keep his composure. "Yeah; don't worry about me."

Haru shrugged. "You're my friend; I'm going to be worried about you."

"I guess I'd be the same way." There was a moment of awkward silence between the two as they stared at each other. "…I guess we should get going then. No time like the present," Akio finally said.

"You're right. They've been waiting long enough." Haru smiled and stood up.

"Do you… do you think my parents could be there too?" Akio asked, knowing they surely wouldn't be; they probably wouldn't find anyone at all.

"We'll find them. Don't worry," Haru smiled again, extending a hand to help Akio up.

Akio accepted the gesture, knowing it would be rude to ignore or refuse it. "Yeah, I guess we will." He tried to smile in return.

They left their belongings behind and started towards the clock tower. They walked beside each other, close together. _I have to ignore this,_ Akio thought, nearly blushing; thankfully he managed to hide it. "So… What's a Gummi ship anyway?" he asked.

"My mom told me about them once," Haru replied. "They're one of the few ways to travel between worlds; that's all I know."

"Well, at least that's something," Akio said. They passed many people without much notice. He was thankful; it would be hard to explain how they had ended up in such a small place as this; there surely weren't many people coming and going. Everything was confined into a small space, a single town. The islands looked gigantic in comparison. They reached the clock tower and ascended the stairs.

When they reached the top, there were no signs of a 'Gummi ship'; not that they knew what they were looking for. It felt like they were searching in vain. "I mean, how long has it been?" Haru said while staring sadly at the ground. "It's probably gone by now."

"We can't give up!" Akio tried to stay positive for once. "Maybe we have to do something to find it. Surely it would be hidden; otherwise some random person might have taken it."

"You're right," Haru said, his face brightening. "Either we find it or someone it's gone… Let's hope for the first option."

Akio looked around; he saw an odd opening in the center of the giant clock face. "Is that a keyhole?" he asked Haru, pointing at the area.

"A keyhole?" he looked. "That's weird," he said, confirming Akio's explanation. "Maybe this is a sign?"

Akio studied the opening carefully, ponding the possibilities. "What about these?" he asked as he conjured his Keyblade, "They're giant keys, right?" _That feels like a dumb question… but I really know nothing about these things._

Haru brought out his weapon as well. Akio hadn't had a chance to examine Haru's blade closely; it was very different than his own, completely black other than a few blue highlights. "Maybe we can use these then?" Haru asked. "But how?"

_No shit, Sherlock,_ Akio held back from saying. _What do you think I was implying? _Regardless, he chose to be polite however, against his usual nature. He silently directed the tip of the sword at the symbol; a bright beam of light emerged and connected with the keyhole. "Whoa!" he said in surprise. _Did that actually work?_ He heard a click; the sound of a lock opening. A doorway appeared in front of them.

"That was weird," Haru said calmly. Was he really unfazed by everything that was happening? "I guess we go through there."

Akio nodded; he was a bit more shaken. He took a deep breath and opened the door, letting Haru enter first.

"This place is weird," Haru said, stepping to the side.

That was an understatement; the room was filled with computers much like the basement, but that wasn't the strangest part. That title belonged to the object in the center of the room: something that resembled a rocket made entirely of toy blocks in many colors. "If that's the Gummi ship, it doesn't look like it would fly," Akio said dully.

Haru moved closer, tilting his head as he examined it. "It has engines, so it must be." He walked over to a ladder leading up to the ship. "Come on; it's not like we have any choice other than to try it, right?"

Akio hesitated before following. "I guess you're right. This _is _the only thing that could be a space ship… it just looks like a giant toy." There was more of the advanced technology within the cockpit; thankfully it was larger than it had appeared outside. There were several soft, cushiony seats. It wasn't _un_comfortable at least. "This isn't _too_ bad."

Haru nodded with a nervous smile. "So…" he asked. "How do we fly this thing? And where are we going?"

Akio cautiously touched one of the many keyboards; it lit up with what seemed to be a map. "Well… your dad said he was going to The World That Never Was… I don't really know what that is."

"We still don't know how to control this stupid ship," Haru complained impatiently.

Akio searched for controls. "This looks sort of like a video game…" He picked up an object that looked like a controller from some sort of gaming system. "I can try to fly it. I'm pretty good at piloting games."

Haru grimaced. "That's crazy… but I don't have any other ideas. I don't know what to do either, so hopefully this is right. Hopefully we won't crash into anything and die a fiery death."

Akio snorted. "Thanks for the confidence. I feel so much better." Sarcasm, obviously. He saw an opening that resembled a 'portal' in front of him. "Let's go."

Haru frantically looked around. "There's no seatbelts!"

"Oh, don't be a baby. We'll be fine!" Akio insisted. The ship started easily and the controls were pretty straight-forward. They went through the portal, appearing in a strange empty void.

"That's where we were," Haru said, looking out of the back window. "I guess it worked."

Akio gazed at the glowing town below in awe; it was so… so small. "Well then… No time to waste!" He accelerated. "Let's go!"

Let's go

So far beyond

What we know.

We take a chance.

No other circumstance.


	6. Act VI: Detour

Act VI: Detour

A transparent orange barrier blocked the path. Without the sun or moon, it was impossible to tell how much time had passed, but it felt like they had been flying forever. Turning to Haru, Akio sighed. "The path's blocked. What now?"

Haru looked up. "That's blocked alright." He shook his head while he thought. "Didn't we pass city a while ago? It looked like one at least; it's hard to tell. It was a large object, but it was really far away."

Akio paused. "… Maybe. But I don't remember seeing it… Which direction?"

"I don't remember either," Haru said defeated. "There's not any 'landmarks' around, so I couldn't describe where we were."

"Maybe we can figure out the map thing." Akio moved to the screen. He touched it, and once again, it lit up. The dots on the screen were in different positions than before. "I think that's us." he pointed to a blinking red dot. There was another, larger blip behind their current position. "And I think that's something. I guess we head that way?"

"I guess." Haru sighed. "I mean, what else can we do?"

Akio returned to the controls; he was exhausted. He wanted to see land again, to be able to touch solid ground; and part of him, no matter how small, longed to feel the familiar sand beneath his feet, feeling the tropical breezes coming off of the sea. He closed his eyes for a moment to clear his head. "Well, let's go," he said in a tired voice.

After a lot more travelling, they came across a world. There was a colossal castle shimmering and golden high above a city. The city itself was mostly composed of grey stone pathways and simple wooden houses. It seemed like a pretty average town, though the architecture was unlike that on the islands. _Why does this place seem so familiar?_ Akio wondered. They decided the small, wooded area was the safest place to land. "Well," he said. "This is it."

Haru nodded. "I'm tired though… Should we rest here? We have no munny to pay for an inn." He stretched.

"Sleep sounds good to me," Akio agreed. He stealthily watched Haru fall asleep. His friend seemed so peaceful, so relaxed. Akio wished he could feel like that. Haru's breathing had a calming effect; Akio had never watched anyone sleep, and it was fascinating. He closed his eyes and was lulled to sleep by the rhythm of his friend's breathing.

Akio woke up and stretched, yawning. Haru was still asleep; but when Akio stood up, he heard his footsteps. "Good morning," Akio greeted his waking friend.

"Morning," Haru responded sleepily, covering his eyes. He hesitated before standing. "Well… I guess there's no time to waste." His stomach growled. "Too bad we don't have munny for food…"

"I didn't think to bring any with me when I left home." Akio laughed nervously. "But, let's go. Maybe if we get moving we'll forget about being hungry." _Well, you're hungry at least._

The climbed out of the ship; once on the ground, Haru sighed. "I think the forest ends this way," he said, pointing.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Akio said sheepishly… because he somehow felt like he knew exactly where to go. _What's up with this?_ They headed that direction.

Luckily, they guessed correctly and found themselves in a beautiful square courtyard with flowers near the center. "This place is… nice," Haru said, looking around.

Akio scanned his surroundings. "It's very nice… I guess we were lucky to find it." _And it's so familiar…_ A beam of light emerged from the ground below him before fading away, accompanied by a strange beeping sound. "What was that?" he asked, jumping back.

"I don't know" Haru froze as he was surrounded by a similar phenomenon. Thankfully it also disappeared without incident. "That was really weird… Let's keep moving." He continued cautiously.

Akio froze as he heard a loud noise behind them; he wheeled around. "The Heartless are here too?" Akio asked in confusion. He conjured his Keyblade, as did Haru.

"We can handle them," Haru said, back to back with Akio. The Heartless attacked, but they managed to fight off every blow. Strangely, some of the lights seemed to aid them. After all of the Heartless were gone, Akio spotted people approaching.

Akio quickly hid his Keyblade. He didn't want it to be well-known that he and Haru had the weapons. He nudged Haru with his elbow. "Hide your Keyblade," he said quietly.

"Oh!" Haru did without any further hesitation, turning to see what Akio was facing. "Do we run?"

"No! They might follow us and wonder why we would run!"

Two women and a man quickly approached. They were middle-aged, one of the women with a long brown braid, the other with shorter, darker hair. The man had long, brown, slightly spiked hair and eyes of suspicion. They carried weapons and seemed fully capable of defending themselves. The long haired woman reached them first. "Are you okay?" she asked the duo.

The man still seemed to judge their every action, but Akio was unfazed; he often faced that expression, no matter where he was. "We're fine. Don't mind us," he said calmly. "We'll get out of here. Don't worry."

"What?" Haru whispered. "What are we going to do?"

"Oh! You don't have to leave. We just wanted to make sure you were okay," the short haired woman said. "You were surrounded by Heartless."

"How did you get Keyblades?" the man asked, even more mistrust in his glare.

"Um…" Haru began, but Akio held out a hand to stop him, showing that he would do the talking.

Akio wasn't one hundred percent sure what to say; he decided to use the same attitude with which he approached most questions. "Depends on who's asking," he said with a confident stance.

The man's face grew very angry, but the women stopped him from attacking. "We're the Radiant Garden Defense Committee," said the short haired woman. "We just wanted to find out who you are. There haven't been any Keyblades around here in at least ten years… and they're dangerous for anybody, let alone people your age."

"We can handle ourselves," Akio said defensively. "Besides, how can we know we can trust you? You could take us hostage or something. You could be with the Heartless!"

Haru spoke up. "Um, Akio… I think we'd better trust them."

Akio studied the interrogators carefully. "…Fine." He relaxed his stance. "What are your names? I'm not telling anything to people who haven't introduced themselves."

The man's fury seemed to grow, so the long haired woman interjected. "I'm Aerith, and this is Yuffie and Leon." Aerith smiled in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Don't mind Leon. He's just grumpy."

"Okay," Akio said. "I'm Akio."

"I'm Haru," said his friend. "Uh… what do you want to know?"

Akio was concerned with the direct approach but didn't jump down his friend's throat and escalate the situation.

"Why don't you come with us; it's starting to rain," Aerith offered.

Akio raised an eyebrow, ready to refuse; but Haru put a hand on his friend's shoulder to interrupt him. "Sure," Haru agreed. Akio gave him an annoyed glance, but he shook his head.

"Good," Aerith said, leading them towards the town.

"Hey," Haru whispered. "I think we can trust them." He held up a hand to stop Akio from interrupting. "Besides, we can get away if they're not, right?"

"I'm not so sure…" Akio said, watching Leon move behind them.

They reached a small house, nothing fancy. Akio was hyper aware; Heartless or other attackers could come from anywhere. If there was anything good that resulted from his past, it was his awareness of his surroundings. He didn't trust people, however. He couldn't for most of his life, and until Haru showed up he didn't see it happening. People were horrid creatures, just as likely to hurt each other as any monster any day.

Haru was a bit more relaxed. He hadn't gone through what Akio had, so he didn't understand immediately why Akio was so defensive; it wasn't something Haru expected. He figured it out as they entered the building, but said nothing.

It was a small house with few furnishings; three simple couches and a coffee table; and there were only two doors leading elsewhere. _Very strange, _Akio thought. A computer stood in the corner of the room; it was the only thing out of place. They refused seats when they were offered, fearing the need to make a hasty retreat.

"So," said Leon, seeming slightly more relaxed. "How do you have Keyblades?"

Akio looked at him warily. He still didn't trust him. Haru answered nervously. "Well…" he began, sighing. "I was given mine by my father when I was a child." He looked at Akio, waiting for his answer.

"Same," Akio relented after a long pause.

The Defense Committee waited for them to continue. When they didn't, Aerith shook her head and offered a calm gaze. "Who are your parents? How did they have Keyblades?"

Haru shook his head. Akio decided to be bold once more. "Why does it matter? They were Keyblade Masters, both of my parents and Haru's dad. I don't see how it matters who they were and how we got them." That received an annoyed glance.

Haru laughed nervously. "My dad's name was… or rather, _is_, hopefully… Riku. Akio's parents are Sora and Kairi," Akio glared at him.

Yuffie spoke up. "I thought I recognized that glare!" she said looking at Akio. "It looks exactly like Sora's!" Akio took a deep breath to contain his fury as he felt it grow. _'Just like Sora!' Ugh._ He was Akio, not Sora, not anyone else.

"You know them?" Haru asked enthusiastically.

Leon seemed to relax immediately. "Oh," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh, we didn't know they had kids."

Haru shrugged, not knowing what else to say. He was intimidated by Leon; otherwise he would have had no trouble talking. "…You wouldn't happen to know where they are, would you?" he asked.

Akio elbowed him and turned. "We don't even know how these people know them!"

"Calm down, Akio," Haru said, gently punching his friend's shoulder. "They aren't going to hurt us."

Aerith raised her hand slightly. "You don't know where they are?"

"No," Akio said, a little more calmly, but he was shaking slightly. His air of confidence was fading. He could only hold it for so long; usually it was beaten out of him by now. His subconscious was preparing him for attack. "We don't."

Haru sighed, trying to ignore that his friend seemed ready to break. "They left when we were very young. We were both four at the time. They never came back."

"Oh no," Aerith said.

Leon shook his head. "We were worried, since the Heartless are back and they didn't show up." He sighed. "I guess there's no point in telling you guys to go home."

Akio stiffened. "I'm sure as hell not going home!"

Haru gave another nervous laugh and smile. "At least not until we find them." He put a hand on Akio's shoulder, but it immediately was shoved off.

"Whatever," Akio said. "I'm out of here." He turned to leave.

Haru grabbed his sleeve to stop him, "Akio! We can't go anywhere anyway!"

"We'll figure it out," he said, annoyed.

"We're not going to make you do anything you don't want to," Aerith said calmly, looking concerned. "We just need to talk to you about the Heartless. Right?"

"Right," Leon said, trying to sound comforting; it obviously wasn't his strong point. He finally realized that Akio was scared rather than malicious.

Akio sighed, turning around and walking back over beside Haru. He crossed his arms as though he was cold, as was his nervous habit. Strangely, he was indeed a little cold, even though the room was plenty warm. He looked away from the Committee. "Sorry."

Haru let go of Akio's arm, still very concerned for his friend. He hadn't known Akio was this damaged; he was obviously terrified, trying to cover it with sarcasm and anger.

"You don't have to be sorry," Aerith said.

"I've been very rude," Akio said, still refusing to glance in their direction in the slightest. It was a very defeated comment; it was obvious that he wasn't sorry. He was used to being punished one way or another, forced to admit defeat: he had a real problem with authority.

Aerith sighed, making no further comment. While she wanted to comfort she knew it would just make it worse. She cleared her throat. "We don't know how or why the Heartless are back. But we can tell you what we do know."

Leon spoke next. "They are those without hearts," he explained. Akio held back from saying 'duh', barely managing to stay quiet. Leon continued. "They gather hearts in search of their own."

"I'm guessing you know what they look like, so I won't bother explaining that," Yuffie said. "But so long as you have those Keyblades, they will follow you."

Leon muttered, "Why is it always kids that end up with those things?"

Haru huffed. "Maybe because we're the only ones that can?" He was annoyed now too. "It's not like we can't take care of ourselves. We know how to fight."

"Yes, you do," Aerith said. "It's just sad that you have to. You should be out there being kids, going to school, being with your families, having fun."

Akio sighed, "I don't have any family," he muttered. "And there's no such thing as 'fun.'"

Haru started to touch Akio's shoulder, but decided against it, looking down. "You have me now. I'm your family."

"Really?" Akio asked cautiously, turning to look at Haru.

"Yes." Haru nodded.

"You guys weren't friends already?" Yuffie asked, confused.

Akio held back another retort. Haru answered instead. "Well, we were friends, but we weren't allowed to talk to each other… Akio's aunt and uncle are very… strict." Akio sighed, not responding. He wasn't going to yell at Haru in front of these people, and at least he left it at that. "But we ended up saving each other a couple of days ago. We've stuck together ever since." Akio remained silent, still waiting for a negative response. "What were those light things, by the way?"

"Those?" Yuffie asked. "They're the defense system; they keep most of the Heartless in control."

"That's cool," Haru replied. He shook his head as his stomach growled. "Um… would you guys happen to be willing to give us some food? We don't have any munny."

Yuffie laughed. "Of course!" She led them into a kitchen.

Akio heard Aerith and Leon speak quietly as they left the room. "How can someone related to Sora be that depressed… so defeated?" He stopped paying attention. They were right. He was. His father had been a ray of light in everyone's lives. He couldn't live up to that standard. They shouldn't expect that from him, because they'd be disappointed, just like everyone else.

_There is no trust;_

_Only fear._

((Author's note: I _swear_ I'm about to get to where everybody went. Just hold on a little longer!))


	7. Act VII: Compassion

Act VII: Compassion

Akio pushed the soup around in his bowl while watching Haru scarf down his food. He couldn't stand the scent of the dish; he knew it should have smelled good. It had good ingredients and Haru seemed to be enjoying it; but Akio sighed and put down his spoon, having not taken a single bite. He realized it was rude, but he couldn't think of eating; he felt sick, not hungry. As usual.

Akio wanted to leave this annoying house of these judging people who expected things of him that he couldn't do. He couldn't fake a smile; he smiled sincerely at Haru, but other times, like now, he was fighting not to punch something or scream. He wanted to break something; the destruction was satisfying. Destruction was the only thing that seemed natural in his life.

He wondered how someone like him, who seemed like they would have so much darkness within based on their stereotypical personality traits, could be terrified of the darkness within others. He knew that there was still light within him; it was just too dangerous to let it show. He had been letting it be seen by Haru; he needed to stop. Haru knew his weaknesses now, and while it seemed like he would never turn his back on him, it was still a possibility, no matter how small. He hated thinking that; it was terrible. Why could he not just trust him? Why could he not believe? He wanted to believe so much: he had always held hope that there was someone somewhere that was capable of compassion and love; capable of kindness not abuse. Why couldn't he believe?

He sighed, shaking his head in defeat; he looked up to see Haru watching him looking concerned. Akio pushed his food towards Haru. "You can have that," he said calmly.

Haru left the dish in place and stood up. He walked past Akio, returning to the table with a plate of cookies in hand. "How do those look?" he asked with a smile.

What was going on? Was he… not judging him, not forcing him to do something? Offering an alternative due to concern, but not acting like he would push him? He studied the cookies before taking the plate. "I guess those look good…" Cautiously picking one up, he took a tiny bite. He blinked; _This actually tastes good_. He took another bite. "…Thanks," he said, looking at Haru.

Haru shrugged. "No problem," he said, leaving it at that. He returned to eating his soup.

Akio glanced towards the door, hearing it close… Apparently it had been cracked open; those nosy adults were spying on them. He shrugged, trying not to be upset; that's what they wanted, right? A break in his defenses; he sighed and nibbled on a cookie. They really were delicious. Maybe he could actually eat these. It wasn't like he wanted to starve himself; it just never seemed worth the effort to eat. He ended up slowly eating the entire plate, much to his shame. At least Haru wasn't staring at him. He was too busy devouring his own food. No judgment…

Maybe, just maybe, he could trust Haru. Maybe he finally could have a friend.

But he sure as hell wasn't going to trust those prying adults.

Haru stood up. "You can stay here and keep eating if you want," he said to his friend. "I'm going to see if I can find anything out from them."

Akio appeared to consider his options. "I'll stay here," he finally said. He seemed too upset to handle coming with.

"Alright, I'll be back," he said with a smile. He headed through the door into the living room.

Aerith looked up from talking to the others. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Haru said. "I was done eating and Akio wasn't, so I left to let him finish."

She sighed. "Is he okay?" she asked with a worried expression.

Haru shrugged. "Yeah, of course. What do you mean?"

Yuffie spoke up. "He seemed so upset! And he wasn't eating anything…"

Haru's smile disappeared. "You were spying on us," he stated; he certainly wasn't asking. He wasn't that stupid.

"…Sorry," Aerith said. "We were just concerned." She looked away. "What happened to him?"

"That's none of your business!" Haru said loudly. "Even if I knew, it's not mine to tell!"

"We just want to help," Leon said.

Haru sighed. "You know what? So do I. But I won't tell you anything. He isn't used to trusting _anyone,_ and he's just now starting to trust me. I can't take that away from him. He needs someone he can trust no matter what. Everyone does."

"Okay, but—" Yuffie began.

Haru cut her off. "No. You have no idea how much I've wanted to help over the years, but I couldn't. Now he's free. Maybe this is the best possible thing that could have happened." He shook his head. "He's finally free to do what he wants. He's no longer held prisoner by the things he's gone through.

"Look, I know you want to help. But you should understand that things aren't that easy. The best thing you can do is not compare him to Sora." Haru paused to take a breath. "From what I've heard, Sora is a difficult person to live up to. Akio hasn't had the same experiences as Sora did; nobody has the same life. And not everyone takes what they are given in the same way, nor do they react exactly as someone else. He is not Sora."

For a moment, there was silence. "…Okay," Leon said.

Haru was satisfied. "Good. Not everyone is the same. I don't know either Akio or Sora's story; but that doesn't stop me from knowing that they are different from each other. Because everyone is different, and nothing is ever as it seems on the surface. People all wear masks at one time or another. Akio's just happens to be one of anger."

Aerith sighed. "You are very wise for someone so young…"

Haru snorted. "Maybe. But that doesn't matter; it doesn't take a genius to know these things. It should be common sense. What is it with adults? You all have masks, I'm sure. You aren't the same as your parents. It should be obvious…" he paused. "I'm not trying to be disrespectful," he said seeing Leon's unreadable expression.

"It's fine," Leon said.

Akio stared out the window in the kitchen. He was annoyed: he had always wanted someone to care, but now that these people were comparing him to his father, he would rather they just forget about him. They wanted Sora; that much was obvious. They didn't want Akio. And he could never be the person they wanted.

He was just a weak, scared child. True, he was brave enough to survive his home and more recently to leave; but he was terrified of the darkness within and without. Fear was both his strength and weakness. Caution was an asset, but fear led to distrust; distrust led to interactions like he had with Aerith, Yuffie, and Leon. Then people thought he wasn't worth their time; that was both bad and good in his opinion. Any attention he had received in the past was unpleasant, so being ignored was the best option.

His eyes wandered to a candle in the center of the table, the wax dripping down from how long it had been lit; it burned brightly even before they had entered the room. He was like the flame— burning brightly, dangerous yet still capable of doing good… and with one false move, it could burn down this building, this entire town; at the same time, it took little effort to extinguish if done before it spread. His fire was having time to burn and grow now that he was away from his uncle and aunt; nobody had extinguished the little flame flickering quietly in the corner. It was a wonderful feeling, but at the same time, it was terrifying.

Akio sighed and looked down at his shaky hands. After a moment, he made sure nobody was coming in the room and rolled up his sleeves; the bruises were fading, not being replaced by the same hits; the cuts were healing, having not been opened recently. _That's good_, he thought as he rolled down his sleeves. He was relaxed and distracted; he wasn't living in fear that he knew was eminent. He had even calmed down from the initial interrogation.

But the flame was tempting; he could simply touch his arm to it and make a small burn; burns were better than cuts, since they healed with less scarring. It would be so easy to cover with his sleeve, like everything else. But he was strong at that moment. He stood up and blew out the candle. Crossing his arms, as always, he walked into the living room.

"So have you asked if they know how to get through that barrier yet?" he asked as he entered. Everyone jumped, apparently having not expected him to emerge so soon. He did his best to ignore that… it probably meant they had been talking about him, but he couldn't do anything about it anyway.

Haru nodded. "They said we should be able to find something here to open up the barrier; it just needs to be triggered."

"Cool," Akio said. "How exactly are we supposed to do that?"

"It's hard to say," Leon said.

Aerith shook her head. "It has happened in many different ways in the past."

"Of course," Akio said, looking down. "I guess we'll just go then." He looked at Haru while walking to the door. _He won't stop me this time, will he?_

Haru nodded. "Sounds like a plan," he said. He turned to the adults. "Thanks for the food." He followed Akio to the door.

"We can help you if you need," Aerith offered.

Akio shook his head. "We've got this," he insisted. He opened the door.

"Good luck," Leon said.

"Thanks," Haru said, waving.

_Why?_

_I want to know why._

_Why must I lie?_

_Why must I hide?_

_Why?_


	8. Act VIII: Enemy

Act VIII: Enemy

Akio surveyed their surroundings, taking note of everything they passed.

They had yet to find anything helpful. "I say we go toward the castle," Haru suggested. "It's the most obvious place, right?"

Akio shrugged. "Usually things aren't that simple… but we have to start somewhere." He turned to walk in that direction. _So familiar… It's like I've walked this path before._

"So..." Haru began, searching for something to say to end the awkward silence. "I guess I don't know much about you."

Akio glanced over. "What's your point?" He immediately regretted his tone. "Sorry."

"No worries," Haru said. "Well, the point is, we're friends, right? We should know a little about each other." He paused at Akio's skeptical look. "For example, I want to study physics when I graduate from high school… but things are kind of being thrown out the window when it comes to that now; I mean, swords that appear and disappear at will?" He laughed nervously. "What about you?"

Akio paused for a moment. Nobody had ever asked him that; he knew what he wanted to do, but he had never thought that anyone might care. "I want to write a book."

"That's cool. What about?" Haru pressed.

Akio shrugged. "I don't know, really. Some kind of fiction probably."

"You have no idea at all?"

"…Not really," Akio sighed. "I never took the time to think about it. But something about darkness and light probably; that stuff's pretty interesting."

"That's cool," Haru said. "So what—"

"Shh!" Akio suddenly stopped and blocked Haru from walking. His eyes darted around until he spotted the source of the sound he heard. Something was flying right at them. He tackled Haru to the ground as a spinning blade flew just over their heads. He rolled over and jumped up, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

A man with pure white hair and golden eyes slowly floated to the ground in front of them. He was clad fully in black. "Heh," the man said, flipping his hair out of his face. "I'm surprised to see a Keyblade, let alone here." Akio looked back to see Haru holding his.

Akio conjured his own weapon. "What do you know about Keyblades?" he asked in a strong tone.

"_Two _Keyblades?" the man asked in shock. "I thought I had handled all of them— wait. Those eyes…" His face grew very angry. "How could their children end up with Keyblades? They were far too young to have gotten them…"

"What are you talking about?" Haru asked annoyed.

The man chuckled. "I am Origin…" he said proudly. "I should have handled you when I had the chance… Just like your parents. I don't know why I had pity simply because of your age."

Haru held in a gasp. "What did you do to our parents?" Akio remained poised to attack.

"I got rid of them, of course. They were in the way." He shook his head. "Of course, they are not gone permanently; they will be useful soon." He took up a defensive stance. "As will you."

He lunged at Akio, who blocked his attack; yet the man was more skilled in combat. Haru came from behind and tried to attack as Akio was holding Origin still. He relaxed his sword, hoping to fool Akio into lowering his defenses, but Akio held strong.

The fight was lengthy, and they were starting to get tired; yet Origin began a sudden retreat. "I'll let the Heartless handle you," he said calmly backing up. A portal of darkness appeared behind him. "I have more important matters to attend to than fighting _children_." He entered the portal, which quickly closed.

Right on cue, they were surrounded by a hoard of Heartless. It didn't take long to defeat these far simpler foes.

They relaxed after the last enemy had disappeared, both breathing heavily from the intensity of the battle. "Are you okay?" Akio asked Haru.

Haru nodded and smiled. "I'm fine. What about you?"

"Same." Akio looked down at the stone pathway ahead: it suddenly lit up with a design… a keyhole. A beam of light came from their weapons. They heard a click.

Haru was silent for a moment in shock. "Do you think that opened the barrier?"

Akio didn't respond immediately. "Could be. We have no choice but the check." He began walking back to the forest. It was getting late. "We should rest when we reach the ship though."

"Definitely," Haru agreed. "Who was that Origin guy anyway?"

"I have no idea," Akio said, shaking his head. "Your guess is as good as mine…"

"But he talked about our parents; we have to find him again and try to get more information out of him." Haru groaned.

Akio nodded in agreement.

Haru grinned. "So anyway, let's talk more. Get to know each other better." He acted like nothing had happened.

Akio paused in confusion. "Um…" He decided to go with the flow. "Is that what friends do?"

Haru shrugged. "When they first meet anyway."

"Weird." Akio sighed. "Anyway, let's go."

_Now we know_

_Whom we must face_

_But we don't know how_

_When, where, or why._

_Why does this all seem so familiar?_

_That's what I want to know._


	9. Act IX: Weaknesses

Act IX: Weaknesses

Haru sighed, following Akio up the ladder into the Gummi Ship. It was hard seeing him still in pain and afraid even here, far away from his previous abuse and problems. _I wish there was something I could do. Maybe being a friend is a start_. He was shocked that Akio didn't even seem to know how to begin the process.

They had talked about random things all the way to the ship; favorite colors, foods, music, etc.; and the conversations were going smoothly. Haru was overjoyed by that. Everyone needs a friend; he was thrilled to be that friend Akio needed so much.

They settled in the ship's comfortable seats. Haru wasn't tired, though; he still wanted to talk. He had an idea of how to help Akio share his issues; sharing his own. But he could wait; Akio needed his rest, especially since he wasn't getting much energy from food. He sighed, leaning back in the chair.

Akio turned to look at him. "I'm not tired," he said calmly.

"Same," Haru replied. "We can still talk."

"Sure; I don't mind. What do you want to talk about?" Akio asked.

Haru paused, unsure of how to approach the issue. He came up with a solution. "It's good to be away from home, isn't it?"

Akio paused for a moment, looking a little uncomfortable. But he relaxed. "Yeah, it really is nice," he said leaving it at that.

"Well, I hate to be someone who just complains, but I'm really glad to be away from my mom and stepdad for a little while," Haru said; it was definitely true.

Akio tilted his head. "Um… You want to talk about it?" he sounded perplexed.

"If you don't mind," Haru said.

"Yeah," Akio said slowly. "It's fine."

Haru nodded. He wasn't going to press further with the whole _are you sure _thing. So, he decided to roll with it. "My mom is really pushy," he began. "She always has been… When I was little, she wanted me to learn how to fight and defend myself; which was fine. It really was a good thing in hindsight. But that's all she wanted me to do. She was always making me train non-stop except for school and sleep. Even if I got sick, she made me train," he paused for a moment. He almost wanted to stop and say, _never mind, my problems aren't worth anything._ But he continued. "I hated it. She wanted me to be just like Dad was. She even said 'Riku would do this' and things like 'Riku wouldn't cry over that skinned knee'; even things like 'why can't you multitask? Riku was always doing multiple things'… It's like she forgot that I was a kid, and that when she knew my father, he was an accomplished adult… I just couldn't live up to be like him. It was impossible. I'm just not the same person." Akio nodded subtly. Haru knew he was going through the same thing. _It sucks, that's for sure._

"After she married my stepfather, though, she doesn't want me to do anything but study. She won't let me train; it's like the moment I started enjoying it, she took it away from me. They started saying that they don't want me to get hurt; that I need to learn to do something safe and productive, not put myself in danger. She says she doesn't want to lose me like she lost Dad…" he looked down for a moment. It really hurt that no matter what he did, he couldn't get her approval. "It's like she never wants me to be happy. She just wants me to be what _she_ wants; what I want is unimportant. All I want is to be able to be _me._ Not my dad, not my stepdad, not anyone else. Just. Me." He sighed. "My problems probably sound really stupid." He shook his head.

Akio shrugged. "I don't think just because someone might have it worse somewhere that your problems aren't just as valid."

Haru blinked. "Really? I've never heard anyone say that."

"It's true though," Akio said. "Just because it could be worse doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt. You should be thankful for what you have, but that doesn't mean you can't acknowledge that you have issues that need to be addressed." Akio sighed. "I've just never found anyone willing to listen."

Haru paused. "I'll listen if you want," he said.

Akio was surprised. Haru really wanted to hear about his problems?_ Surely not…_ Still, it might feel good put it all into words. "… Are you sure?"

Haru nodded, "Of course. You listened to me."

Akio sighed, looking at his hands. "I don't know where to start; there's just too much to tell."

Haru shrugged. "Just start where it feels right."

"If you're sure…"

"I'm sure. Honestly."

"Okay…" Akio was skeptical, but talking to Haru could help; _no matter how ashamed I am_. It took a while to find a good place to begin. "Well… I guess I'll start at the beginning, but I'll probably jump around." Haru nodded to tell him to continue. "I remember when my parent's left I felt like I was abandoned. I don't know if you remember, but I stayed with you and your mom for a while… I had to leave because my aunt and uncle sued after a while. They couldn't have children of their own; that's why they fought so much to get me."

"I remember," Haru said.

"Well, apparently there was a reason that Mom and Dad didn't want me to go to them…" Akio shook his head, trying to clear his mind. "The first day I was there the beatings began," he said bluntly. Haru looked concerned but didn't interrupt. "It was always over little things; not cleaning my plate, not making my bed, breaking things. I could never do anything right."

His hands began to shake, making him realize how thin they were. "That went on for ages… whenever I tried to stand up for myself, I was kicked harder. Once, I got fed up and tried to run away; when they found me, they—" He was going to skip the worst parts… he didn't want his friend to know how bad things really were.

"After a while I just stopped fighting. I took the hits until they didn't hurt anymore; and when they finally stopped because I was 'keeping in line', I kept doing what they wanted… But I just wanted out." He shook his head and looked at his sleeve. He felt that he could really trust Haru. "When I stopped getting as much pain from them, I was numb… I wanted to feel pain again. Anything to feel real." Taking a deep breath, he shakily raised his sleeve; when he saw Haru's face, he was so ashamed. "I did this for four years… I hadn't stopped until I ended up with a Keyblade. I only stopped now because I've been too busy."_ He must thing I'm crazy_.

"I wanted out, but I knew they would find me… so I stopped eating; I didn't see the point, especially when they didn't notice I was losing weight." His eyes burned. He backtracked a little, "And it wasn't just the physical abuse that bothered me. They literally wouldn't let me out of the house except to go to school. I got in trouble if I made friends. Of course, that made people at school hate me," he frowned. "Even the teachers; everyone thought I was a snob. I tried telling someone about this once and they didn't believe me; that's when I stopped trusting anyone. I didn't care what happened to my future. When I did well in school, I was ignored, so I stopped trying. They ignored that too."

"So I had basically been trying to starve myself when I finally started rebelling in the past few months… I talked back, defended myself; I took the hits, the insults, the sneers. There was nothing for them to take away anymore." Akio rolled down his sleeve, suddenly cold. He crossed his arms. "Not even my parents; all I had of them were memories, and those can't be taken away… So I decided I could actually get out. I just needed the right opportunity, and it finally came. I said I was going to the library, and for once they didn't stop me. I figure it was fate if you believe in that kind of thing."_ That's so cliché_. "I ended up on the little islet that night. I went to the Secret Place. I hoped I'd find more memories there that would help me figure out where to go… When I found a drawing that Mom and Dad made when they were kids, I was relieved; it was like I knew I wasn't going back. After that, I left the cave, ran into Heartless, got my Keyblade, and ended up in Twilight Town where you found me." It felt like he had a weight off of his shoulders after talking. _Too bad that's just the tip of the ice burg._ "Thanks for listening… You're a great friend."

"No problem," Haru said. "You listened to me."

"Still…" Akio said. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

All this talking about bad memories made Akio want to find some good ones. _The Wayfinder! It won't hurt to ask… right?_ "I have a question." _Too late to back out now._

"Okay. What is it?" Haru asked, trying to act unaffected.

Akio casually brought out his Wayfinder. "Um, I know it was a long time ago… But do you remember these?" He held it out.

Haru's eyes widened. "Of course I remember those!" he said, pulling his out of his pocket. "I always keep it with me; we promised we'd always be friends when we shared these." The biggest smile crossed his face.

"I never take mine off, though it was hard to keep it hidden. It reminds me that I'm not alone," he replied as he put the necklace back on. "I know that sounds weird. Sorry."

"It doesn't sound weird to me," Haru said. "Mine always reminds me that I always will have a friend."

Akio smiled. "Thanks for keeping it."

"Of course I kept it! I don't break a promise." He smiled. "Thank _you _for never forgetting either."

"I keep my promises as well." Akio yawned. "_Now_ I'm tired."

Haru laughed. "We can talk later; no worries."

_There is no fear;_

_Only trust_

Holding his Wayfinder to his chest, Haru stared up at the ceiling, trying to calm the anger growing in his heart. It was over now; he would make sure that no matter what happened, Akio would never go back to that miserable hell-hole that he was forced to call home, or the people who claimed to be his family. _Over my dead body_.

Haru knew that his problems were nothing compared to Akio's. All the more reason to find Riku, Sora, and Kairi; so that everything could be good again. He knew that things wouldn't be the same as when they were children, but it had to be better than it was now. They'd stop Akio from going back to his prison disguised as paradise. Haru couldn't do it alone. Whether they liked it or not, they were just kids; while they were still a formidable force here, there was only so much they could do back home. Travelling from world to world was nothing compared to fighting the system. The trials that they faced right now weren't even a challenge considering what they would be up against when they returned.

Haru heard Akio yawn from across the room; it was nice to hear his breath, especially after learning how close he had come to not having that privilege. It reminded him that there were still a few good things out there. If someone as amazing as Akio could come out of such a situation as where he had come from, it was a sign that no matter what happened, there was always a chance of things changing for the better. It renewed his hope that maybe they would actually find their families alive somewhere; maybe they could make it out alive; maybe, even if things weren't perfect, they both could at least face the pressure that was day to day life and come out on top.

Haru yawned and closed his eyes, clutching the charm tightly in his hand. _Oh well. I can't change the past._ But he could try to improve the future.

_Even though Akio knew he was dreaming, he couldn't escape. He was running; running for his life in a world full of darkness, knowing that if he stopped it would be the end. He had this dream so often that he knew the path down to the last pebble. The enemy was invisible. He once had turned his head and saw nothing but darkness. He always ran. He never could escape. He always died. That was the only way the nightmare come to an end. The darkness always caught up to him, swallowing him up like he was nothing. He was always terrified; he always felt like one day, this wouldn't be a dream anymore. He was always afraid that one day, it would really be over._

_ But today, he was going to take a chance. He never had anything to live for; he had always accepted that if he died it would just be the end of his torture. Now he realized that he did have something to lose: the hope of finding his parents; and then there was Haru. He couldn't leave Haru on his own now. He needed him. He had to beat this. He knew he could win._

_ Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and turned. When he opened them, he stared back at himself; not even like a mirror. The eyes held hatred and fury. The face glaring back looked like it would kill him if given a chance. It was nearly identical to him; the main difference was that it had golden, lifeless eyes that penetrated his soul. His double's hair was dull and silver. Akio was not afraid, nor was he shocked. He had known for a long time that he was his worst enemy. He never fought hard enough for himself… he just let things happen._

_ The doppelganger conjured a Keyblade in a puff of darkness and began running at Akio. He raised his own weapon, rushing straight back at it. Each hit was matched by the others, but neither gave up. "I hate you so much," it said in his voice._

_ Akio blocked another strike. "You know, I hated me too…" He blocked another swing and lunged to create more space to dodge. "But now I know that there's no point in that."_

_ "You idiot. Nobody could care about you. Nobody could love you. You're unlovable," it mocked._

_ Akio rushed his clone. "You're wrong!" he said. "Haru's my friend! He cares what happens to me!"_

_ The shadow smirked. "Oh really? Then why did he talk to those adults? Why did he stop you from leaving? Why would he do that?"_

_ Akio shook his head, trying to ignore the monster that was created by his consciousness. "He knew it wasn't safe to leave. I can't speak for why anyone makes the choices they make… That doesn't mean he isn't my friend!"_

_ "But what if—" it began another taunt._

_ "Shut up!" Akio screamed, rushing back in for an attack. "I can make it no matter what! Even if he doesn't care, I care!" His attack finally met its mark. "I care about him! And… you know what?" He blocked a counter. "I don't hate myself anymore!"_

_ The shadow stopped attacking; Akio did as well. They stared at each other. "Then why am I here?" the shadow asked._

_ Akio sighed. "I'm ready to let go." He relaxed his arms and lowered his sword to his side, as did the shadow. "I can love myself. I'm not all darkness… It's time to be free."_

_ The shadow nodded, sending its Keyblade back into the darkness. "I see," it said. "You've finally learned…" It took a step towards him. "That you do have light within."_

_ Akio nodded. "I won't forget the darkness though; that will never go away. But maybe it doesn't have to control my life anymore." He looked in the shadow's eyes. "I don't hate you."_

_ "That's why you've won," the shadow said. "I've always been one step away from taking over… but you've always been the better one." It looked deeply into Akio's eyes, hatred still powerful within its own. "That's why I hate you so much… I have so much potential, so much power; I should be able to extinguish you easily. But you fight. You care, whether you believe it or not."_

_ "I'm not going to say sorry," Akio told it. "You are a part of me; you'll never completely go away. I know that, but I want to be me now. I don't want to hide anymore. I want to be… I want to be happy."_

_ The shadow extended its hand and touched Akio's Keyblade. "You don't need this hand-me-down anymore," it said. In a burst of light, the silver key that had been Sora's changed. "It can go back where it belongs." In the place of the old Keyblade was another; this one glistening blue and white. It was more delicate looking and less clunky than the other. "This is yours now. Once, it was another's; perhaps you won't make the same mistakes." The shadow stepped back. Akio didn't know what to say. He just looked into the shadow's eyes peacefully. The shadow sighed deeply. "I'll always be here, waiting… I'll always be there, and when you give up, I take over…"_

_ "Not today," Akio said. "And not ever. I'm never giving up again. I have to fight… I have too much to live for."_

_ The shadow almost smiled. "Keep that attitude. If it goes away, then you're in trouble."_

_ A light began to glow behind Akio. He smiled. "I have to leave now."_

_ "I'll always be here… waiting." The shadow turned and walked back into the darkness._

_ Akio turned and walked into the light in the distance, bright and powerful. He finally was not afraid. Even if all else failed, even if he had to go back to his personal hell, he would get out. He would survive._

_ He heard a voice in the light. It grew in volume as he went further into its glow._

He woke up when he felt his fist hitting something. He opened his eyes, and once again, there sat Haru holding his hand to his face where he had been hit. "Ouch," Haru said with a laugh.

"Sorry!" Akio said, moving Haru's hand to check the injury. "This seems to be becoming a pattern."

"I'm fine," Haru said, still laughing. "I should have learned not to wake you up like that."

Akio joined in his laughter. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He let go of Haru's hand when he noticed he was still holding it.

"Are you okay though?" Haru asked once he stopped laughing.

Akio nodded and grinned. "I'm fine. Better than fine."

"Good," Haru said, smiling back. "Well, once you're awake, we should get going. Time's not standing still."

"Yep," Akio said in reply. "I'm good. Let's go!"

_Free!_

_I'm finally free!_

_I feel myself_

_And all I can be._

_I believe._


	10. Act X: Magic

Act X: Magic

They were finally on their way. Nothing blocked this path anymore. "You know," Akio said, "It worries me, these areas where there is nothing around. Are we lost? Or could it be something even worse?"

"What could be worse?" Haru said. "The worlds can't just be gone… can they?"

Akio shrugged. "I have no clue. You know more than I do about the last time the Heartless were around."

Haru was lost in thought for a moment. "Actually…" He said, horrified. "I think she said that worlds _had_ disappeared for a while. But they came back; she never said what happened, just that it was something that your dad had done."

"Well crap," Akio said. "I hope that's not happening again… If it is, then I think our job just got a lot more complicated." He sighed. He thought that things were at least on a decent path. Now it looked like there was more than he expected.

"Hmm," Haru said, visibly thinking. "Maybe we'll figure it out on our way to find our parents. And if not, they can probably help us… or they could take over." Haru chuckled. "I mean, they are the Keyblade _Masters _and we've only had ours for a couple of months. We certainly don't have their skills."

"I'm not counting on it," Akio said while looking at the map. Being optimistic was hard. He was rational; it was unlikely that their parents would be alive if they even found them… it had been at least a decade since they disappeared. No food for that long… well, there would definitely have to be some kind of magic to keep them alive and he had yet to see evidence of magic existing… Maybe the Keyblades, but that wasn't much.

"Come on, Akio," Haru teased. "You've got to try to be more positive. What's the worst that can happen?"

Akio looked at him blankly. "Do you _really_ want me to answer that?"

Haru's laugh became nervous. "Um, I'm thinking not since you put it that way."

"Sorry," Akio sighed. "I'll try to be more optimistic… I'm just a bit of a pessimist. Then when something good happens it's a pleasant surprise."

"I guess that's one way to look at it," Haru considered, "But then you're just anxious all of the time, which isn't good. So I'm going to be the optimist in this situation." He grinned.

Akio smiled weakly and looked out the windows. "There's nothing on the map, but I think I see something out there! Maybe a world?"

Haru quickly turned his head that direction. "It does look like a town. Let's head that way, so that we at least have somewhere to get our bearings."

Akio agreed.

They approached a town. It was darker than Radiant Garden was, but that made sense, with a name like 'Radiant Garden'. This starlit town seemed fairly peaceful, and the path was once again blocked. "I guess we have to stop here too," Haru said with a defeated tone. "I'm tired of these detours. Why can't we just get where we're going?"

Akio rolled his eyes. "Because nothing is ever that easy… Besides, we don't really know where we're going. Who knows, maybe there's something useful here."

"I'll admit that's a good point." Haru took a deep breath. "Well, let's go check things out."

"Yeah, but be careful. Who knows what's down there?"

"Relax," Haru said, heading down the ladder. "There's no sign of danger. You shouldn't be tense all the time. You'll drive yourself crazy."

Akio followed closely behind. "Or I'll be ready for whatever happens."

"Come on, Akio. Two sets of eyes are better than one," Haru insisted. "You need to calm down. Tension might make you notice the small details, but it can hide the big stuff."

Akio huffed. "I'll try to relax," he said, "But I don't really see how that makes any sense… not that I've paid attention in psychology. So you might be right."

"It really will be okay. We'll protect each other, alright?" Haru reached the bottom of the ladder and offered a hand to help Akio down as well.

"Okay," Akio said with a sigh. If only Haru knew how much more relaxed he already was now than he had been. He had a whole new outlook; things had been so much worse before.

He scanned his surroundings carefully as he reached the ground; it didn't matter what Haru said, he knew that there was always a chance that some kind of enemy could be lurking, waiting for their next step. Caution was important… but he'd try not to obsess over it. The coast was clear, but there were no people, let alone Heartless. Without the bright lights and neon signs, the town would seem empty and lifeless. Even with those, there didn't seem like there was anyone there to control them.

It was like this world had appeared out of nowhere while they were traveling. The emptiness seemed to reinforce this concept, no matter how strange. It seemed impossible but they'd seen enough to know that anything was possible.

"There's a sign over there," Haru said. "It says 'Traverse Town'. I guess that's where we are… or as good of a guess as any."

Akio tilted his head and looked around. "You know," he said. "I feel like I know this place somehow…" He paused in thought. "Oh! I remember. I have a postcard back home of this park-type area here. It's one of the few things I managed to hide from my aunt and uncle to help remember my parents." _Finally: an explanation for this déjà vu._

"Huh." Haru shrugged. "Hard to say… but it's possible. I mean we've at least found out for sure that there are other worlds. I don't see why we couldn't find one that we recognize." He chuckled. "I guess we should get going; hopefully we' find a clue here."

"And maybe we'll run into that Origin guy. I'd like to get more information out of him, you know?" Akio started walking. "I mean, he mentioned our parents. He's the only real lead we have."

Haru shrugged. "You think we could take him?" he asked.

"We were doing pretty well before, weren't we?" Akio reminded him. "I can't see why we couldn't again."

Haru nodded. "I guess…" he said, still seeming pretty skeptical.

"I thought you were telling _me _to think positive!" Akio said, laughing.

"Ha ha, very funny." Haru rolled his eyes.

They walked in a comfortable silence up another set of stairs and to an enormous set of double doors. "Ready?" Akio looked at Haru.

"Yeah." He nodded, pushing the door open easily. "That was light," he said, surprised. They crossed the threshold, only to find themselves face to face with a bunch of Heartless. "Well crap."

Akio brought out his Keyblade, flinching as he saw not his father's blade, but the one that he received in the dream. "Whoa."

Haru looked over quickly. "How'd you get a new Keyblade?" he asked. "Never mind. Tell me later." He dodged an attack from a kind of Heartless he didn't recognize from past battles.

They managed to dodge most attacks, but these enemies were swift. There was no way around taking some hits. "Damn it!" Akio said, swinging his blade at an enemy. To his complete shock, a powerful current of electricity surrounded his weapon, hitting multiple Heartless and getting rid of the last enemies. "Uh…" _What the hell just happened?_ He stared at the key in his hand. "I think I just used magic?"

Haru looked over. "I really saw that?" he asked. "I thought I was imagining things."

"Nope. I really electrocuted those dumb monsters somehow." Akio carefully swung his blade away from them, testing whether it would happen again; it didn't. "Weird."

"Yeah." Haru carefully looked at Akio. "You're bleeding."

"So are you." Akio shrugged. "Nothing too serious though. We should be fine."

"I don't know what we'd do if they were dangerous anyway. We don't have medical supplies or training." Haru sighed. "There I go, not thinking positive." He laughed.

Akio joined in. "I guess we traded attitudes." He put a hand on Haru's shoulder. "You sure you're okay?" he asked. A flash of green light came from his hand. He immediately retracted it from his arm. "That was weird. Did I hurt you?" he asked, worried.

"No, actually," he said while looking himself over, "I feel a lot better. Look." He held out his arm where there was once a wound. "It's healed."

"What?" Akio asked in confusion. "How did I—?"

"I don't know." Haru shrugged. "But I'm definitely not complaining. Do you think I can heal you? It's a longshot, but…" He put his hand on Akio's shoulder… and nothing happened. "Dang it."

"It's okay," Akio said, pushing Haru's hand gently away. "It doesn't hurt that bad…" Crossing his arms, he began to feel the pain subside. He looked down to find that glowed with the same green aura that came from his hand before; he was healed as well. "Well, that works too."

Haru stared before shaking his head. "I guess magic is real. Who would have thought?"

"Eh, it's whatever." Akio wasn't overly surprised. He'd seen many stranger things lately. How much of a big deal was another?

Encountered many more enemies, each set becoming easier to defeat as they learned the creature's attack patterns. The town was strange; so empty and dark. It was uncomfortable. He had a very disturbing feeling while he looked around. They were surprised when they descended a set of stairs into a lower, wide-open area. A small fountain behind was them near the door that led here. It was beautifully adorned with an intricate butterfly mural and emitted a strange serene feeling. Haru slowly walked over and put a hand to the mosaic.

Akio wheeled around as he heard a noise from behind. He was now face to face with a gigantic Heartless resembling a suit of armor. The limbs and head were separate from the torso. "Haru!" he yelled to his friend, who quickly turned around. Each summoned their Keyblade. "Try to get up the stairs! I'll hold him off; then you can distract him while I come up there too!"

Haru ran at the stairs only to be bounced back by an invisible wall blocking his path. "Do you have a Plan B?" Haru asked in distress.

"Yeah," Akio said. "We fight!" He ran at the enemy, swinging his blade, focusing on the electrical energy from earlier; he willed it to come. _It actually worked!_ His Keyblade caused more damage as it collided, fueled by the power its electrical charge.

Haru joined in combat. This battle wasn't as simple as most previous ones. The new enemy had a unique pattern to learn and was far larger and faster. It was difficult to dodge its assault. Suddenly, a limb fell to the ground and disappeared. "Hey!" Haru yelled. "Try focusing on one limb at a time! They seem separate."

Akio nodded. Focusing on the same areas, the machine was disassembled limb by limb. When it was gone, Akio released a huge breath, leaning against the wall. "Geez, I'm not used to so much movement." He crossed his arms compulsively. Many of his wounds disappeared. He walked over to Haru, placing his hand on his arm. Some of his injuries healed as well. "Huh. Maybe I'm getting the hang of this whole magic thing."

"Good," Haru said. "It might come in handy…. We can use any additional power we can get."

Akio nodded, beginning to walk once more. "Let's go this way. No time to waste. We can't exactly go back to the ship; we'd have to backtrack, and then we'd be wanting go back again, and on and on."

"You're right," Haru said with a sigh. "Sucks though. I'd like to rest, that's for sure."

"Me too," Akio agreed. "But we need to keep moving. We have to figure out what's going on." He turned to Haru. "We have to do more than just find our parents; we also need to try to find out why the Heartless are back, and we have to do our best to stop them."

"Why's that our job?" Haru asked looking concerned. "I mean, we aren't Keyblade Masters like our parents were. We just are starting out. Can't they do it when we find them?"

Akio shook his head in annoyance. "We aren't sure we have that long! If we can figure it out while we are searching anyway, it's better." He paused, not wanting to say that they might not find them at all. He chose a different way of phrasing the thought. "We don't know how long it will take to find them; we could run out of time to stop the Heartless from destroying everything if we don't look for signs. We're traveling anyway. It's not like we have to make extra stops or anything." _Why does this feel so personal?_

Haru looked skeptical, but he slowly nodded. "That sort of makes sense…"

They resumed walking.

Haru walked behind Akio, watching their backs as best he could. He didn't know what to think about the new addition to the plan, but he supposed it didn't hurt anything if they didn't change their focus; he still felt that it was more important to find their parents first, since they might be able to help them… It was only fair to let Akio have his input.

Haru had noticed a change in Akio; he had couldn't explain it, but he seemed a little happier, slightly more relaxed, and a bit… _brighter_, was the best word he could think of. He certainly was taking charge now. Haru wasn't going to complain; this way relieved him of complete responsibility.

It was nice seeing this new energy of light in his friend. They were growing close, and it was becoming more miserable to see him suffering constantly. Depression remained even away from the source of his pain. Haru understood to an extent; abuse left deep emotional scars that never completely disappeared: his mom told him that. She was abused as a child; that was why she was so cautious to help Akio and decided it would only make problems worse if she stepped in. Haru disagreed, but since he was the child, he didn't have much of a say on the situation. All he knew was that he needed to help him now.

Akio's mood and energy improvement seemed to make them more powerful. Haru was grateful for that. Things just were getting harder and harder to deal with. He wished that he could help more. Akio deserved a break as much as anyone else. Still, Haru knew he couldn't do more than to learn new things about his Keyblade and any hidden powers that might hold.

They continued through a door that led to an alleyway. There were small canal type areas, not very deep, wide, nor long. One led to an open tunnel in a wall. "That's as good of a place to head to as any. It seems suspicious enough." Haru jumped into the water. It was shallow enough to stand with only their feet and ankles submerged.

Akio paused before following. "I guess the worst that could happen is it is a dead end. Hopefully you're right and it leads to something useful." He headed towards the dark entryway. Haru followed closely behind.

After an area of complete darkness, they entered a strangely lighted cave, partially filled with water. They managed to make it across the cave to dry ground. "Guess it's lucky we know how to swim, huh?" Haru joked.

"Haha, yeah," Akio said, looking across the water. Haru turned as well. There was a strange mural of the sun across the room. It almost seemed like source of the dim glow breaking through the darkness. Akio shrugged. "This place reminds me of the Secret Place."

Haru nodded. "Has a similar atmosphere; peaceful." He stared at the mural. It was almost hypnotic.

Suddenly he heard a sound behind him; he turned quickly to see Akio with his Keyblade drawn to face the mysterious man from before: Origin. "How did you weaklings end up here?" Origin asked in an aggravated tone. "One would have thought those Heartless could have easily handled the likes of children: and even if those small fry weren't enough, the Guard Armor should have had no problem dealing with you."

Haru took a defensive stance, ready to attack at a moment's notice, but he hesitated, hoping to draw more information out of the sinister presence. "We're tougher than we look!" he responded, not knowing what else to say.

Akio glowered at the enemy. "What do you know about our parents?"

Origin raised an eyebrow, staring back ominously. Akio didn't flinch. "Why should I tell you? It won't matter; you'll join them soon anyway." He summoned his strange, circular-saw like weapon, throwing it at the pair. Akio jumped, knocking the blade to the ground. "Hm… I find it difficult to believe that such inexperienced fighters would be attuned to my attacks. Fascinating. The Masters were easy prey, yet I can't seem to get a bearing on you." His weapon returned to him. He lunged towards Akio, who jumped out of the way and attempted to get a hit in while he was vulnerable. Although he only grazed him, Origin jumped back in surprise. "You managed to hit me!" he said in shock. "But— nothing can harm me! That's impossible!" He glared. "That Keyblade!"

"Uh, you're just insane," Akio said as he struck at the man once more, the attack charged with electricity. It stunned him for a moment. Haru tried to take advantage; but his attack went through as if nothing were there. Origin quickly recovered, making a hasty escape through a dark portal, which disappeared behind him.

Akio sprinted towards the area, but Haru grabbed his arm. "He's gone," Haru began. "But you shouldn't run after him on your own! You could have been ambushed or something!"

Akio shrugged. "Sorry. I didn't think about it; I didn't want him to get away." He sighed. "What do you think he meant by 'nothing can harm me?' I mean, we obviously hit him, right?"

"Actually, I never did," Haru said shaking his head. "I guess we have to find him and try to get more information; but where could he have gone? Is there any way we can know?"

"I would have sworn you hit him… but I don't know," Akio admitted. He examined the mural again from the water's edge. He waded into the pond. "I'm going to take a closer look at this thing."

Haru followed. "Be careful. Something could jump out of it or something."

"What happened to you being an optimist? Seriously." Akio laughed. "In your words, 'you need to relax'!"

Haru laughed too. "You're right. It's just weird how you relax as more happens and I get more nervous."

Akio shrugged. "I guess it's just how people react to things differently." Walking up the the mural, he placed his hand on it. The glow slowly subsided, exposing another keyhole. "This is all so bizarre," Akio said.

Haru nodded in agreement. He raised his Keyblade to the opening. Akio joined, and a beam of light came from each of the weapons. The clicking sound of a lock could be heard once again. "We'd better go back to the ship and see if the path's open," he suggested dully. "The sooner we get going the better, right?"

"Yeah," Akio agreed and began walking towards the exit of the cavern. Haru followed slowly, turning back to look at the wall. The mural of the sun now depicted the moon instead. He wondered what the future might hold. _Who exactly is Origin?_ He continued to follow Akio. _Why is this happening now? _He sighed and ran to catch up. He didn't want to fall behind and leave his friend to face danger that might lurk beyond the corner alone. Because if nothing else, Haru knew one thing; he was glad to have Akio as a friend, and he wasn't going to lose him if there was anything he could do about it.

_The danger that lurks within_

_Is the most powerful we face._

_And the bravery we hold_

_Can backfire in an instant._

_I want to understand_

_But I'll never understand._


	11. Act XI: Whimsy

Act XI: Whimsy

After a long interlude in the endless abyss of space, Akio spotted a world in the distance. It was strange and cartoonish looking place, with a castle overlooking what appeared to be an amusement park town. He tilted his head in confusion as they approached. "This place actually looks pretty… nice?" He looked at Haru, asleep in the other seat, taking his turn to rest... Not that Akio ever really took time to rest, since Haru couldn't drive the ship. At least he convinced Haru to rest when he had the chance to. No reason for both of them to run on virtually no energy.

Akio slowed down the ship, preparing to dock. He there wasn't another barrier in sight, but he needed to rest, and this seemed like a safe place. "Haru," he said quietly, trying to wake up his friend. Haru groaned and turned over. "Haaaru," Akio tried again. When there was no response, he finally shook him.

"Whoa!" Haru exclaimed in surprise, rolling off of the chair. He sat up quickly. "What's wrong?" he asked while scanning the room for any signs of danger.

"Nothing's wrong, dummy," Akio said, pointing out the window. "We're at a world. And I need to sleep, so we're stopping."

"Cool. You do need to sleep." Haru turned to look at the world below. "This place looks really cool; nice and safe."

"That's what I thought, too," Akio agreed. "Of course, you never know for sure."

Haru laughed. "Oh, come on. A place like this? There's no way this place could be dangerous."

"Sometimes it's the places you least expect," Akio said, looking at the ground. Lord did he know how true that was. Home should be the safest place, but for him it was the worst. They reached a point where they could get down fairly discreetly when they were ready. "Well, I'm going to sleep now," he began; but he saw some movement out of the corner of his eye. After a short search, he spotted it— a giant Heartless, as large as the one in Traverse Town. It was chasing a small crowd of people. "Maybe later." He grabbed Haru's head and turned it to face the sight.

"Oh…" Haru said. He jumped up and headed towards the door. "We'll just take care of this thing; then you can come back up here and rest. Shouldn't take long, right?" He grinned and jumped out.

Akio rushed after him, fearing that he was hurt from the fall; however, he saw Haru bounce off of some kind of trampoline when he reached the entry way. He followed, bouncing off of the springy surface and landing on his feet. He ran to catch up with Haru, summoning his Keyblade. They began attacking the creature; it seemed like a giant cartoon car. It was bright purple with red and black stripes adorning the sides and the trademark symbol of the Heartless on its hood. Its grill seemed to be made into an angry smile; its headlights were like glaring eyes. Akio would have laughed at its appearance if it was not such a swift opponent. It was difficult to anticipate its movements. Regardless, they were making progress; slowly but surely.

Akio ran in for an attack. The creature turned and charged straight at him in return; there was only a moment to jump out of the way, somehow managing to summersault to a safe landing. He quickly countered with an attack charged with electricity. Noticing the monster was distracted, the crowd quickly ran to safety.

Haru jumped on the roof of the car and plunged his Keyblade into it; a shard of ice emerged from his blade, pinning the Heartless to the ground for a moment. Haru jumped off quickly with a shocked expression before resuming attack; it was obvious that he hadn't expected that to happen. The vehicle quickly broke free and wheeled around to attack Haru. He dodged as best he could, but he got clipped by the attack. He countered.

Akio made one final rush in and with an electric strike the creature disappeared in a puff of darkness. Remembering his new found ability, he rushed over to Haru and healed him. "That ice thing was awesome, Haru."

Haru laughed. "It was, wasn't it? Very _cool._"

Akio joined in laughing at the pun. When he looked around, the crowd was long gone, but someone was approaching from the distance. "Hey, look at that," he said, pointing. It was actually a pair of people; as they grew closer they seemed to be two women. Well... one of them was a duck and one was a very strange looking mouse. Both wore fancy dresses and crowns. "Uh…" Akio stopped pointing and stared.

Haru was equally confused. "I don't think those are Heartless …" He shrugged. "Should be run?"

"They're too close now," Akio said. He looked down at his Keyblade. "Let's hide these though, don't you think?" In a flash of light, he sent his away.

"Right," Haru agreed, sending his out of sight as well. They stood still as the ladies approached.

The mouse-lady spoke. "Excuse me," she began in a very high pitched and squeaky voice, "But I saw you have Keyblades… Might you know where the King is?"

Akio and Haru looked each other, puzzled. "Uh… no. Sorry," Akio apologized. "How do you know about Keyblades?"

"Oh," the mouse said with a sad sigh, looking at her hands. "I'm Queen Minnie… Thank you for fighting that Heartless." Akio and Haru quickly bowed awkwardly, causing the queen to giggle. "You boys look very tired. Why don't you come back to the castle with us so that you can rest?"

Akio looked at Haru. He shrugged. "If you want, your highness," Haru decided. "Sounds like you might be able to tell us more about the Keyblades?"

"I know a little about them," she said. "I can tell you what I know when we get back to the castle."

They all sat together in a large meeting-type room. They had been served an enormous dinner of wonderful food that left them feeling more refreshed. Akio had been annoyed that he had been thrown more and more food to eat though; he only gagged down the first course to be polite since they were with royalty, and he felt bad denying seconds… and thirds and fourths for that matter. At least Haru thoroughly enjoyed the meal, and he didn't look at Akio with concerned eyes as the Queen and her Duchess had.

Regardless, when they finally left the dining hall, they sat in a comfortable (but enormous) room that seemed to go on for days; at least the furniture was close together, giving an illusion of smaller surroundings. Akio was exhausted, but he wanted to find out as much as he could while he had the chance. He could rest later. "So," he began once everyone was settled into the oddly large seats, "Why did you ask us about our Keyblades?" He was nervous asking anyone questions, let alone royalty; but he needed to know what was going on. Every bit of information was another step in the right direction.

Queen Minnie sighed. "Well… Where to begin?" She was visibly concerned. "The King, King Mickey, is a Keyblade Master." Akio and Haru waited expectantly. "And he's been missing for about ten years now."

"Oh," Haru said, looking sad.

"I was just hoping," she continued, "That maybe you had heard from him."

Akio and Haru looked at each other again. Haru cleared his throat. "Sorry… we haven't… Our parents have been missing for that long too."

"Your parents?" the Queen asked, looking up in surprise.

Akio nodded. He felt like he could trust her… _Very odd…_ "Yes. My father was—er, is— Sora, and my Mother is Kairi."

"My dad's Riku," Haru said. "They all left about ten years ago, like we said."

"Oh dear!" Daisy, the Duchess, exclaimed.

Minnie looked even more worried. "It's worse than I thought then," she said. "I suspected as much; we sent Donald and Goofy out to search for them to help find the King…" She shook her head. "They never returned."

Akio didn't know what to say, so he just sighed and looked down. Haru just shook his head. "I'm sorry…" he said.

The Queen just shook her head as well. She looked up. "Can you try to find them?" she asked, though not sounding very hopeful that they would.

Haru nodded. "Of course! We're looking for our parents anyway; they might all be in the same place!"

She looked very full of sudden, long-lost hope. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it," Haru said with a grin.

Akio looked skeptical but nodded. He tilted his head for a moment in thought. "Can you tell us anything about that Origin guy?" he asked hopefully.

"You've encountered Origin?" she asked, blinking. "He's who the King went out looking for, after the Heartless reappeared."

"Really?" Akio tried not to sound sarcastic (he succeeded).

"Yes," Minnie said. "He said that Origin was the cause of the Heartless returning." Her eyes were filled with worry. "He believed that he was created from the memories of a foe that they had defeated long ago; Xehanort."

"Xehanort?" Haru asked with a strange expression that Akio couldn't fully decipher. "As in, the guy our parents fought when they were just a little more than our age?"

The Queen nodded. "No one knows how Origin appeared so suddenly, or why. But we do believe that he is controlling the Heartless."

"But… I thought the Heartless were gone," Akio stated, trying not to be too distracted by the nervous feeling in his chest at the name 'Xehanort'. The name was familiar… yet he didn't know who it was; it wasn't like he knew a whole lot about the past of his parents.

"So did we," she agreed. "But it seems like these aren't the same as the ones from the past; or rather, they are _exactly _like the ones from the past." She looked at her hands again. "The King was speaking to his master, Yen Sid, before he disappeared as well. They thought that they were just like Origin; a memory."

"How is that even possible?" Haru asked, looking confused.

"I'm not really sure," Minnie said, frowning.

"Memories can be as real, or more so, than anything else, even physical." Akio crossed his arms compulsively. "They can cause more pain, more fear, and more hatred than the present. The more people fear a memory, the stronger it becomes." He paused as they all looked at him. "Maybe that's what Origin meant when he seemed so surprised that I hit him; he's a memory. He isn't technically _real _in the physical sense of the word… But memories are very real; you can't deny them."

"But, why could you touch him and I couldn't?" Haru asked.

Akio looked at Haru. "What do you mean, you couldn't. I saw you attack him… Right?"

He shook his head. "I told you earlier that ran at him and my sword just went through him like he was a hologram or something. I saw _you_ hit him though, and he responded."

Akio was puzzled. "I have no idea then… I didn't know."

"You know," Minnie began, "You seem to have an extremely good understanding of memories; things I have never even would have thought of." She studied Akio, which made him extremely uncomfortable of course. "I wonder if because you realize just how real memories are, you are able to come into contact with them physically."

"That doesn't explain why I can attack the Heartless too, though," Haru said with a shrug.

"They probably don't have enough consciousness to realize that they're just memories," Akio proposed. "But who knows. I'm just pulling crazy talk out of nowhere and you guys think it's worth something."

"It's not crazy," Minnie said. "It really makes a lot of sense."

"She's right." Haru looked at Akio. "And I guess if you're theory is true, then now that I know that even though he's a memory he's still real, I should be able to hurt him too?"

"Hopefully?" Akio said with a shrug.

Minnie giggled. "You two remind me of Riku and Sora." she said. "Each of you has traits from both."

Neither liked being compared to their parents, so each stiffened; but Akio quickly made himself relax. She wasn't trying to make it seem like he _should_ be like them; it was an observation of the similarities between these two friends and the others she had known. Still… "I'm going to sound stupid, but… who's Xehanort?"

"You're joking, right?" Haru started to laugh, but stopped when he saw Akio's face. "You're not joking."

"I don't know _anything_ about what our parents did." Akio sighed. "Never mind. Don't worry about it."

Haru looked extremely guilty. "Sorry."

"I can tell you at least a little about Xehanort," Queen Minnie said.

"…Thanks," Akio eventually replied. She shared what she knew.

The conversation was extremely long. Akio felt weird hearing about these things; like he had seen it happen. He didn't dare to say anything about it, though.

"You both seem very tired," she said. "Why don't you follow the brooms to the guest rooms; there should be two next to each other."

Haru grinned and stood up. "Thanks, your highness." He bowed and headed to follow the brooms.

Akio stood up and bowed as well. "Thank you very much." He followed.

He heard the Queen and Daisy speaking as he left. "The poor dear seems so sad; I wonder what happened to him," Daisy said as quietly as possible. Akio did his best to ignore it and continued. He didn't care what they said; he had conquered every endeavor thrown at him so far; a few comments behind his back were nothing new. _No._ He was going to beat everything that life could throw at him. He was going to keep hope. He was going to find them all; his parents, Haru's dad, the King, Donald, Goofy, anyone else. Nothing would stop him; not even the memories.

_I will endure_

_The pain and more;_

_I am strong;_

_My strength will keep me_

_Where I belong._

_I know I'm not perfect._

_I might feel weak now._

_But I will never give up._

_I will never give in._

_This is a battle_

_I will always win._

_I am stronger_

_Stronger than my memories._


	12. Act XII: Strength

Act XII: Strength

Haru couldn't sleep. That was all there was to it. The room was too large, the bed too comfortable, and he'd grown accustomed to the sound of Akio's breathing lulling him to sleep. He had been staring at the ceiling for hours; nothing was unusual about it, it was just something to look at since he couldn't get his eyes to close. He had tried peering out the window, but they were too high up; he hated heights.

He finally gave up on slumber; it was a losing battle and all it was doing was frustrating him and making it worse. He was _sort of_ hungry at this point too; eating after not being able to for so long had reactivated his appetite. He sat up. The Queen had said that they were welcome to go to the kitchen if they needed anything. It couldn't hurt, right? He walked over to the door, shaking his head.

When he opened it, he was met by a surprise: Akio was walking up to the door carrying a tray of cookies. He stopped when the door opened. "Oh… Hey Haru. I couldn't sleep," he quietly said. "So I decided I'd get some food. I was going to see if you were awake too…"

"Yep. So you couldn't sleep either, huh?" Haru grinned. "Well, come in. We can hang out and eat those cookies since you didn't have any earlier. They're amazing."

"Okay," Akio said, perking up slightly. "If you're sure, that is." He seemed to lose that confidence as quickly as it appeared.

"Of course I'm sure," Haru said with a light chuckle. "I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't." He moved out of the way to let Akio in.

"Thanks," Akio said with a small smile. Haru returned the gesture.

They sat across from each other on the bed, plate of cookies between them. Haru wasn't going to say anything, since it would probably have a negative effect, but he was really glad to see that Akio was eating. He hadn't eaten much at the massive dinner. The food had been absolutely delicious; but Akio hadn't seemed to enjoy it. He acted like eating was a chore.

Nevertheless, he was simply going to enjoy the food and good company now. "So," Akio asked quietly. "Why couldn't you sleep?"

Haru hesitated; he was a terrible liar and would feel bad for lying anyway. On the other hand it could be pretty embarrassing to admit that it was because of Akio's absence. _Oh, what the hell can it hurt?_ "To be honest, I've gotten used to hearing someone breathing near me while I'm falling asleep; it's comforting to know that there's someone nearby, you know?" He grinned nervously.

Akio shrugged. "That was pretty much my problem too," he admitted. "You get used to having someone around; having that extra set of eyes and ears is really nice, and knowing that someone is alive is a relief too." He smiled slightly back. "It's so funny. When we first found each other and started travelling together, I had the opposite problem. I always thought something was coming to get me when I heard your breathing after I'd been asleep. It's weird how things change."

Haru nodded. "Yeah, it is. But that's not necessarily a bad thing," he said. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one who thought that. "I don't know why it happens, but I guess it's just part of life."

"You know," Akio said after swallowing a bite of cookie, "this probably sounds weird, but I feel like I've gotten stronger since I've been around you." He shrugged.

Haru was amazed that Akio was confident enough to admit without even looking embarrassed. He couldn't wait long to respond, or else he would probably get uncomfortable. "Well, I feel the same way. Having a friend really lets you relax and grow. Knowing that someone's there for you renews your faith in humanity."

"You're right; I've never had a friend before." Akio smiled. "Thank you for being my friend, Haru. You're really awesome."

"No problem," Haru said with a grin, his heart fluttering at that beautiful smile. "We've always been friends; but it is different being able to talk to each other, have each other's backs, and just be around each other. It's nice." He paused. "And you're pretty amazing yourself."

"Nah," Akio said, grabbing another cookie. "I'm not that great."

Haru laughed. "You are better than great. You're an incredible person. I'm glad to have you around." Akio opened his mouth to say something. "And you aren't winning that argument!"

Akio chuckled. "Fine. You win," he said. "Thanks Haru."

"You don't have to thank me for saying something that's true, okay?"

"Okay," Akio agreed after a moment. "Just so you don't thank me for true things either."

"Deal." They sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. "You know," Haru said after a while, "it almost seems like we're each other's strength; sure, we can do alright alone, but together, we can handle almost anything."

"Hmm… I think you're right," Akio agreed. "But you know that means we have to stick together, right?"

"Well duh," Haru laughed. "You're not getting away that easily," he teased. He immediately regretted it; that might have sounded a bit weird.

Akio just laughed. "You aren't either!"

Haru grinned. Even if they meant it in different ways, at least Akio hadn't taken it as possessive. He understood more about things than anyone that Haru had ever known. There was a kind of intrinsic knowledge that was truly a boon to their survival. Haru looked down at the empty plate between them. "Did we really eat all of those?"

"Apparently," Akio said, looking as well. "Hey…" he began.

"Hey what?" Haru asked.

"Is it okay if I sleep in the chair over there? You know, just so that we can hear each other breathe?" he asked sheepishly.

Haru was surprised, but didn't hesitate. "Of course you can, silly! No worries. Or you can take the bed and I can sleep in the chair if you want. Doesn't matter to me."

"Thanks," Akio said. "I'll take the chair though. I don't want to _completely_ take over you room."

"Okay then," Haru said. "There's an extra blanket on the table over there that you can take. In the meantime, I'm finally tired, so I'm going to try to sleep if you're okay."

"I'm fine." He headed over to the chair, putting the empty plate on the stand, and then settling into the chair.

Haru lay down. "Goodnight," he said quietly.

"Goodnight," Akio said in response.

Haru closed his eyes. He felt extremely privileged to be so important in Akio's life. He didn't care if he ever managed to become more than friends; this was enough. He was thrilled that Akio truly seemed to trust him. It felt so comfortable, the way things were now. If things could just stay safe, if they could find their parents and the King, things would be perfect; because if they could find their parents, Akio would never have to go back to that horrible place that he was forced to call a home.

_Haru was inside of what he could only hope was a nightmare. He was trapped in a plain white room with strange, barely visible symbols on the walls… Nobody emblems? He turned in a circle, searching for an exit. The room was completely silent; he could hear his ears ringing. It was uncomfortably cold. He felt like someone was watching him. "Who's there?" he yelled._

_ "Ah, young Haru; I've been waiting for you," he heard a deep voice say; after a moment, he recognized it. Origin rose slowly from the floor. He tilted his head, studying him. "Too bad you aren't as easy prey as your father was. You aren't even worth the bother. Not much darkness in you at all."_

_ "What the hell are you doing in my dreams?" Haru demanded._

_ Origin chuckled ominously. "I have power over the mind; memories, dreams; it's all the same to me." He took a step forward. Haru tried to summon his Keyblade, but nothing came into his hand. "You can't use that here. I'm in control." He stopped. "You might not be easy to change, but your friend certainly could do what I need." An image of Akio appeared in a chokehold in Origin's hand. _

_ Haru started to rush forward but stopped; he could tell this wasn't his Akio. Not only was this a dream, the eyes were lifeless, the skin even paler; no light seemed to come from him at all. "You'll never touch Akio." The image dissolved into a burst of light._

_ "Ah, but you see, it would be so easy; he has so much darkness inside. There's just an annoying little sliver of light shining through. So much darkness and light, almost in perfect balance; luckily he isn't strong enough to reach his full potential." Origin laughed. "He lies in the twilight; so close to the darkness that it will only take moments for the light to fade… It is inevitable." _

_ "You're wrong!" Haru yelled. "Akio is the strongest person I know. There's no way the darkness will ever win!"_

_ "Foolish child. Your faith in your friend is too great. Don't you see that the darkness would only make him stronger? Don't you see that he will always lose to it? He has so many times before; that sliver of light shrinks each time." Origin sank into the ground. Haru turned around to see him rising behind him. "I wonder how I could put it out permanently."_

_ Haru stepped forward. "You will never do that! You're wrong. Akio would never give up. The light will always be there."_

_ "Hmm," Origin pondered, "I wonder: what if I got rid of you?" He appeared behind Haru again, this time grabbing him by the throat. "You are his light; his only friend. You said it earlier; you're each other's power. You wouldn't be useful any other way; a worthy sacrifice for the cause."_

_ Haru struggled to get out of his grip. He tried again to summon his Keyblade; this time he was successful. He swung it backwards and into Origin's stomach, falling from his grip and gasping for air. "You'll never beat me," he said when he regained his breath. "Because I have something stronger than you: I have hope."_

_ Origin backed up, surprised. "You injured me… here?" He backed into a portal of darkness. "Not possible..." He was gone._

_ "Haru?" he heard a familiar voice call._

Haru suddenly woke up being shaken. "Haru?" Akio said while shaking him. "Oh, good. You're awake. You were yelling in your sleep." Worried eyes stared down.

"Oh. Sorry. Just having a nightmare," Haru sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "It was weird though; Origin was in it… And not like part of the illusion; he was _there_."

Akio looked concerned. "Huh? What happened?"

"We just need to watch our backs," Haru said, looking to see the sunrise outside. "He tried to attack me. And he was threatening you."

"Threatening me?" he asked.

"Yeah. I don't remember exactly what happened… But we need to be careful."

"Definitely," Akio agreed. "Well, it's morning now anyway. Let's get going."

"Right," Haru said with a nod. He wondered what to do now; how could they find Origin again? There were no real clues; but it didn't matter. They would find him, and Haru would protect Akio no matter what.

He pondered that as they prepared to leave. "He lies in the twilight…" he muttered, remembering what Origin had said. "Twilight Town!" he said with more volume.

"Um… What?" Akio asked, looking completely puzzled.

"Oh…" Haru laughed nervously. "I just was remembering something that Origin said in that dream; we need to go to Twilight Town; he might be there!"

Akio shrugged. "I guess it's as good of an idea as any," he said. "We have to start looking for him somewhere… It can't hurt anything to start there."

"Right," Haru said. Nothing about the search was for sure, but he knew two things: he would find Origin, and he would protect Akio.


	13. Act XIII: Friends

Act XIII: Friends

Akio sat at the ship's controls, approaching Twilight Town. _Why would Origin be here?_ When Akio asked Haru, all he had said was that he didn't remember exactly what Origin said, just that he mentioned 'the twilight.' Akio certainly thought that was extremely vague and unhelpful. Nevertheless, he didn't know where else to go. Finding Origin was the next logical step. He was the one that had captured their parents; he would obviously know where they were.

_Why do I keep stalling_? They needed to land; they needed to make progress in whatever direction could even _possibly_ help; Akio definitely didn't want to go home, but he was anxious. The longer it took for them to find their families, the longer they would have to wait, and they had been waiting long enough. Besides, he was just so tired of fighting. He wanted it to end.

Haru had been quiet for a while; he had just fallen asleep a few moments ago. It sucked that after all of the flight, he had finally dozed off now. They had slept while at Disney Town, but travelling between worlds was generally exhausting regardless of how short the trip. He hated waking Haru up now, but they really needed to get moving. Regardless of where they were they were vulnerable; Akio wasn't in the mood to sleep, and he wasn't going to be able to safely leave the ship alone. He supposed he could wait for a while, but he was anxious and didn't want to chance Origin getting away.

He landed the ship over the clock tower. He felt like the higher their ship was, the less likely they would be detected.

"Haru," Akio said. Haru stirred and opened his eyes. "We've made it to Twilight Town now."

Haru sat up, yawned, and stretched. "Sorry I fell asleep," he apologized.

"No worries." Akio shrugged. "I understand that this whole traveling thing is exhausting. Besides, you've only been asleep for a few minutes."

"Okay." Haru stood up. "Still, let's get going. No way to know how long Origin will hang around."

Akio nodded. "Hate to make you get moving so fast."

"It's fine," Haru insisted. "I'll wake up quickly." He headed to the door.

Akio beat him to it. "Let me go first since you're so tired. You know, so if you fall I can help you faster." Haru shrugged, so Akio went ahead and climbed down. It didn't take long to reach the ledge of the clock tower leading to the staircase.

Haru climbed safely onto the edge as well. "I don't really see anything big from here," he said. "I guess that isn't really surprising. Things aren't usually that easy."

"Sadly they aren't," Akio agreed with a sigh. "Let's keep moving."

"Alright," Haru said, heading down the stairs.

They encountered nothing useful as they continued into the train station. "This place is pretty empty," Akio observed. "I wonder if something's going on."

"Who knows?" Haru said calmly. "Maybe there's some kind of sport's game or something? You know; somewhere else for people to be?"

Akio started to trip over a sudden staircase he hadn't seen. He grabbed the wall to stop falling, only to be met by a surprise: when he pulled his hand off of the wall, a set of numbers appeared. Some kind of invisible barrier prevented him from touching the brick surface. "What?" Akio backed away.

"What's wrong?" Haru asked.

"Something weird just happened," Akio said, looking at his friend with wide eyes. "Touch the wall."

"Okay…" Haru put his hand against the wall. The same set of binary numbers in straight columns appeared. "What the heck?" He quickly retracted his hand.

"I don't know," Akio said. "Let's… let's just keep going." He continued walking, this time more urgently.

Haru quickly followed. "Yeah. The sooner we find out what's going on the better."

They walked out of the door into the plaza. The doors had a similar sensation of something blocking contact, but at least they could open them. They were greeted by a face that was becoming far too familiar: Origin. "Ah, you made it." Origin smirked. "And here I thought you were smarter than the others." Akio rushed at Origin at full speed, summoning his Keyblade. Origin simply floated into the air above him. "You don't want to talk, I take it?"

"Coward!" Akio yelled up at him. "You won't even stay down here and fight?" _Why am I so angry? Why does this feel so… so personal?_

Origin laughed maliciously. "I don't need to." He crossed his arms. "You will destroy yourselves without my help."

Haru ran to catch up with Akio. "Tell us what's going on!" he commanded.

"I don't see what it could hurt. You should at least know what's happening before I take control. It's only fair." Origin floated farther away, landing on the ground. "You see, you are in my domain now; this place is simply an illusion, and you were foolish enough to fall into my trap."

"An illusion?" Akio looked around.

"Yes. This is made entirely from the memories of your precious Keyblade Masters." Origin gestured around. "You'll notice how different it is than the Twilight Town you encountered earlier in your useless quest." The area did seem much more pristine and less time worn. The stairs were different, as was the curb surrounding the plaza; it lacked a fence or guardrail. "Their memories are so strong; some are so closely tied to this place that they can even manifest." A shimmering pool of darkness appeared beside him. "For you see, it's all memories: even I am a memory. And memories can strengthen or weaken with time. It just depends on how closely someone holds onto them." He laughed menacingly. "Too bad I have to be closer to the memories to use them. You have some marvelous material to work from, Akio."

"What are you talking about?" Akio asked.

"You know very well how powerful your memories are; they haunt you every moment of every day. You have yet to have a chance to learn to escape them," Origin said. "It really is such a shame that your little friend is here. It would be so easy to extinguish your light; you've thought so yourself before."

"You're wrong!" Akio said. "Get out of my head!" _What can I do?_ He had to protect himself; he couldn't let Origin use him. Closing his eyes, he pulled on the hidden light that he had concealed for so long. Origin was right; once he was close to letting go of it. But now… He opened his eyes, pure strength burning in his soul. The light was painful… but it was worth it.

Origin only seemed frustrated at first. "What are you doing?" he asked, suddenly distressed. "That light… Where did it come from?" He stepped back.

"I've fought hard for that light. You can't do anything to it." Akio glowered. "I'm not afraid of it anymore."

"Foolish child," Origin said. "You should fear the light and accept the darkness; the light is—"

"Oh, shut up." Haru rushed in while Origin was distracted. Origin noticed in time to move away.

"I will waste no time on you," Origin said; his energy reeked of fear. "Why don't you fight them instead? They are far stronger here than anywhere else." Three black-cloaked figures rose from the ground. "For they are only a memory, and this is the place they remembered the most." Origin backed into a portal behind him and was gone.

The memories stared at the friends. They seemed familiar… not like Akio had met them before, but maybe he had heard of them? A dark haired girl with blue eyes; a boy with a face similar to that of his father's, with blonde hair and blue eyes; and a tall man with red spiked hair. All had Keyblades. There wasn't much time to think about the details, however; all they could do was fight back as the trio attacked.

They weren't making any headway; their attacks didn't seem to injure them. They were just stunned temporarily before immediately countering.

The group cornered Haru. "Haru!" Akio screamed, running towards them. Haru was badly injured from the fight. "DON'T MAKE ANOTHER MOVE!" he yelled powerfully. The girl swung her Keyblade. It hit Akio with her full strength, but he ignored the pain. "I WILL NEVER LET YOU HURT MY FRIEND!" The memories froze, staring at him intensely. He used the opening reach Haru. "Haru, please wake up!" he pleaded.

"Friend?" The memories looked at each other slowly. "We're friends…" They faded away in a dark mist.

"I'm okay," Haru said weakly, sitting up. "That hurt though… Where'd they go?"

"I don't know…" Akio replied. "They said something about 'friends'. Then they let me through and disappeared."

"Maybe… maybe they were friends, so they understood friendship's significance?" Haru pondered. Akio was doing his best to heal him... but he was getting tired. "You're getting really pale. Stop healing me and rest. I'll be fine."

Akio reluctantly stopped. "At least I think I healed a lot of your wounds."

"I'm fine." Haru smiled. "Let's get out of here before anything else happens."

"Definitely."


	14. Act XIV: Hands

Act XIV: Hands

When they reached the upper edge of the clock tower, Akio gazed at the sunset in the distance. "You know." He stopped. "This place is really beautiful. If this is just a memory, I understand why someone would hold onto it."

Haru turned to look as well. "Yeah… it is really nice." He looked at Akio. "Wait… you're bleeding!" Akio looked down at his arm: his sleeve was indeed sliced open, and his upper arm had a fairly deep gash. "Sit down!" Haru ordered.

Akio did. "Why didn't I even feel that?" he asked, wincing at the sudden pain. He tried to heal the wound with no success. "I think I'm out of too much energy to heal it…"

Haru sat down next to Akio and touched his arm gently, examining the wound carefully. "Take off your hoodie; I need to see this better."

"No!" Akio protested.

"It's got blood on it anyway," Haru saw how upset Akio was becoming. He changed tactics. "Let's at least rip off that sleeve; you aren't going to be able to roll it up high enough for me to check it."

Akio started to protest again but tried to relax. His arm really did hurt, and he couldn't heal it himself. He shouldn't be too stubborn and end up with an infection. "Okay. I'll take the sweater off… But I'll want it back!" he insisted. Shaking, he unzipped the jacket and took it off. His shirt was so thin compared to the warm sweater; he suddenly felt very cold… but worse than that, Haru could see how thin he was.

"I'll give you your sweater back; don't worry." Haru seemed to ignore that and concentrated on examining the wound. "Do we have any medical stuff up in the ship?" he asked.

"No. I looked a while back." Akio sighed.

"Too bad the injuries from the fight weren't an illusion," Haru said. He grabbed Akio's arm again, turning it gently. The cut was very deep, and it circled half way around his thin upper arm. "I wish I could heal like you can," he said sadly. As if his wish was granted, the wound began to heal. It quickly closed, leaving only a scar. "Um… I guess I can." Haru laughed.

But his eyes wandered, looking at Akio's thin, bony form. Akio grabbed his sweater from behind him and hurriedly put it back on, zipping it up. Haru had seen some of his scars before, and that was embarrassing enough. Now Haru saw how frail he really was. He felt so humiliated. He would much rather wear a blood-covered sweater than be seen like that. "Thanks," he said.

Haru pulled Akio into a hug. "I thought I told you never to thank me for things like that."

Akio paused for a moment in confusion. _He's not going to say anything? _

They had hugged before, but for some reason, this was different. Still, he returned the hug. This wasn't as awkward as when they were first reunited. He was disappointed when his friend let go. The physical contact had been nice; the warmth of a hug was new, but pleasant. "Um…" he said.

"Sorry!" Haru said quickly.

"No! Don't be sorry for that!" Akio quickly reassured. "I just didn't know what to say." He smiled at his dear friend. "Thanks for… for not mentioning… well, everything," he said, his voice losing volume with each word.

"I told you before; if and when you want to talk about it, I'm here," Haru said, returning a warm smile. "I'm not going to judge you."

Akio didn't say anything in response. He quickly looked away. Something about the way Haru had smiled was just… he didn't know how to say it. He fought blushing, and it wasn't like his previous embarrassment.

He glanced over and saw Haru looking out at the sunset. "That sunset really is beautiful," he said. Akio stared at his hand; he really was a skeleton. He glanced at Haru's. He looked so much stronger.

_ I like him._ Akio thought, finally understanding. _But what should I do? Should I say something? Or should I wait?_ He slowly put his shaky hand on top of Haru's. _His hand's so warm._

Haru looked over. "Is something wrong?" he asked, but didn't pull his hand away. He looked worried… But there was also confusion.

Akio wasn't surprised by that. "Nothing's wrong, per se…" He tried to remain calm. _Too late now._ "I just, uh… I kind of _like_ you." _Oh crap, _was all he could think when Haru didn't respond._ I shouldn't have said anything._

When he started to take back his hand, Haru grabbed it. "Good." Haru grinned. "Because it was going to get awkward if I was the only one."

"Oh, um…" Akio's heart fluttered. "I'm glad you like me too."

"Honestly, I just didn't want to freak you out or I would have said something earlier."

Akio didn't know what to say now. "…That's okay," he finally said. He had really shocked himself; he was kind of off balance right now. They sat there for a moment, hand in hand, looking at the sunset. Finally, Akio sighed. "We should get going."

"Sadly yes," Haru said, standing up. He helped Akio up, pulling him into a quick hug. "Thanks for telling me about this."

"Thanks for not freaking out," Akio replied.

"Of course I wouldn't, dummy." Haru laughed. "But you're welcome."

They headed to the ship. Akio was just so… happy was the easiest description, but it didn't even begin to cover it. _Oh well._ As long as things weren't awkward between them, that's all he really cared. They could start a relationship or not; it wasn't the important thing right now. They could work that out later, once things were settled. Once they found their parents, everything would work out.

Haru was floored by the new development. It was _completely _unexpected. _Akio likes me! _ He wasn't going to complain, that was for sure. He never thought anything like that could happen. _Like seriously, I never expected that to EVER happen._ And that had been making him miserable.

They were in the ship, headed on their way. They didn't know where to go now. They'd probably retrace their steps, since Origin had left no clues.

_But seriously…_ This was all so amazing to Haru. _But hey, since we agree, there's no problem!_ He _supposed_ they should hold off until they were out of the whole dangerous and vital search for their families before trying to start any kind of relationship; and that was even if Akio wanted to. Haru frowned at the thought that he might not.

Regardless, there were far more pressing matters at the moment. They really needed to find Origin so that they could figure out what to do next. They had promised the Queen that they would look for the King; even if they ever felt like giving up, they had to remember that they weren't just searching for themselves anymore. It was for other people as well; they couldn't be selfish and just decide it was too dangerous. And besides, it probably would be just as dangerous to stop now that Origin knew they existed. They would never truly be safe again until he was out of the picture. Haru sighed, knowing that meant they might not get back home for a long time.

They had to find their parents, or else Akio would have to go back to that hellhole, where things would be far worse after being gone for so long. If they failed to find their families alive there would likely be no way to prevent that from happening. No matter how long it took, Haru would make sure they didn't return unless it was safe; he would protect Akio no matter what... it was becoming more important than ever.

He couldn't let Origin get to either of them; he was right that if one of them got hurt, the other would be devastated and become easy prey. No matter how hard Haru would try, he knew; without Akio, he would never be able to keep going. He didn't know if it was the same for Akio, but he couldn't take that chance. It might be vain to think that he was that important, but he didn't care. The only thing that mattered was that he would do everything he could to prevent Akio from being hurt.

What if Origin was right? What if Akio _was_ that close to the darkness that it would easily overpower the light? He had already doubted that it was true, and now after their most recent encounter with Origin, he was sure that his theory was just an attempt to scare Haru into giving in. He would never give in; he had too much to protect. He would do everything he could to be able to keep protecting it.

But on the other hand, what if caring to protect people was what allowed the Keyblade Masters to be caught? Their memories of those they loved could have been too strong to concentrate on fighting; if their loved ones were threatened, would they make poor choices in hope that it would be the best solution, that it would really make a difference? He could understand how that could happen; maybe that knowledge would be enough to keep them safe. "Knowledge was power," or so they say. "We have to learn from history or else it shall repeat itself." It was all very vague.

He shouldn't worry so much; he was always telling Akio not to stress out. _I should follow my own advice and relax._ He could deal with problems as they arose. It was impossible know what would happen, no matter how many plans you made. It was better to not worry so much, to just relax. Worrying was too draining. Energy was better spent or conserved for other reasons.

_Oh well._ It didn't really matter that much right now; they needed to move on, to continue so they could get this whole thing over with. He was so excited when they first found that message from his dad; an important adventure, a new and exciting experience of travelling from world to world; but now, he was just so tired. He wanted a break. At least he had Akio. That was all that kept him sane. He wouldn't let that go away.

He looked over; Akio had fallen asleep. Haru carefully picked up his friend and moved him to the other seat. _He's so light…_ Luckily, Akio didn't wake up. Haru knew that was exhausted. He'd just have to figure out the controls on the hunk of junk for himself. He sat at the controls. He'd watched Akio fly the ship; surely it would be easy enough to figure out.


	15. Act XV: The Fragment

Act XV: The Fragment

_Akio knew he was dreaming again. A plain dark room, walls shadowy. Looking out the window, he saw a starry night sky. It was so strange; this wasn't somewhere he knew, yet he felt like he'd been there many times before. So comfortable; he felt at home._

_ He knew something was behind him, watching. He slowly turned around to be met a somewhat familiar sight: his doppelganger, its piercing gold eyes full of hatred as usual. It seemed to glare right through his soul. Akio returned the look with one of pity. He knew such hatred; he had once been unable to beat that emotion and experience hope and joy. This being was the darkness within; it was the part of him that he had fought to control._

_ The shadow shook its head. "You're just… so different than he was."_

_ "What?" Akio asked, puzzled._

_ "The person you once were, in another life." The shadow sighed. "I remember; perhaps it is best that you don't."_

_ For a long time, Akio was silent. "It doesn't matter who I was before. I'm me now... right?"_

_ The doppelganger shrugged. "That is up to you I suppose." It paused. "I can help you; help you fight Origin."_

_ "Why do you care about Origin?"_

_ "I have my reasons," it replied. "You're strong enough now; your light will remain. This information would not allow him to take over."_

_ "For who to take over?" Akio asked anxiously. "And why should I trust you? You're my darkness, right?"_

_ "Amongst other things," the shadow answered. "Yes I am your darkness; but I'm more. I'm what remains of him… The good and the bad. The wish to reconnect the worlds. The wish that it became: to conquer and rule them all. The desire for power. I am all that." It hesitated. "Perhaps you shouldn't trust me. It would make sense for him to wish to regain control. He never liked to be useless… but somehow, he feels remorse, something that I never would have expected before." It sighed. "I was his darkness, and now I am yours; yet you are so much stronger than he ever was. You have held onto the light through it all. He lost his. He delved to deep; he took the easy route. You will not do that. You already would have."_

_ "What's your point? What if I don't trust you?" he asked. "Will you leave me alone? Or are you going to tell me anyway?"_

_ "Very good questions; you're wiser than he ever was." It waited. "But you're right. I won't leave until I tell you; I want Origin gone. History cannot be allowed to repeat itself, and that is what is happening."_

_ "Okay then. Just tell me," Akio finally agreed with an annoyed sigh. "It's not going to change anything."_

_ "How to begin?" it asked rhetorically. "We can't let Xehanort return through Origin; it is our duty, you and I."_

_ "Why am I a part of this?" Akio said, crossing his arms, growing impatient. "I mean, I don't want him coming back, don't get me wrong. I just don't understand why it has to be me."_

_ "Well, I suppose you don't have to do it alone," it said while rolling its eyes. "But I'll tell you why you are a part of it." It paused for drama. "You, being the person you are, _saved_ Xehanort once; you accepted a fragment of him as your heart was formed. You were merciful. You knew what he had done, but you accepted him anyway. True, your heart was incomplete; you had too much light, being descended from a Princess of the Heart… But there were other choices of darkness to choose from. You chose me; you chose Xehanort."_

_ "What?!" Akio asked in disgust. "I can't be connected to that evil bastard!"_

_ "Hmm." The shadow smirked. "You don't really have much of a choice, now do you? But that doesn't mean that you have to follow the same path; you are _you_. You are an entirely different person. You may have become Xehanort had you been weaker; but you are stronger than he ever was. You have made your own life, against all odds." Akio mouth was open in shock. "And somehow, experiencing suffering first hand through you has brought some form of guilt within what remains. That is what makes me want the cycle to end. If someone that… that _evil, _as you say… can feel those emotions, then it is proof enough to me that the darkness can never completely win. That being said, neither can the light. There will always be balance."_

_ "You've got to be lying," Akio protested. "I have nothing in common with that monster!"_

_ "As you said, you are you now. You are your own person. I am all that you have in common with Xehanort. You are, in fact, amazingly different. You have taken what you have been given and made it into something completely unique. You have taken your pain and suffering and learned from it. You do not resent anyone for what has happened to you; you don't place blame on anyone, even yourself. You may tell yourself that it is your fault, but you know that it isn't. You even gave me a form that you could understand. You didn't lock me away." The darkness sighed. "I did not tell this to instill fear; I wish to help you defeat what remains of the evil of the past; because none of us want things to fall apart all over again."_

_ "How does this help?" Akio growled. "It only makes me miserable! I can't be that evil man!"_

_ "I keep telling you; you're not him." The shadow shook his head. "How can I get through to you? If you would just listen, I could explain."_

_ Akio sighed. "Fine."_

_ "Good." It nodded. "I only hope that you will truly understand… You see, I know what Xehanort's weaknesses were; what he loved, what he hated, and what he feared. Those things will help you." It sighed. "I don't wish to torture you with the memories themselves; you have enough of them on your own." The darkness took a deep breath. "All I can tell you is this; Master Xehanort and his vessels feared few things. But what they feared most of all wasn't the light: it was their darkness being overpowered."_

_ "I think I understand what you mean," Akio replied. "Kind of like being afraid of change, not what is causing it?"_

_ "Exactly," it said. "He was too confident; he felt invincible. That is why he failed in the end. I suppose you could say that his weakness was his strength; he wanted control. Take away that control and Origin will be vulnerable. You have seen that when you injure him by surprise. He thought he was invincible and you proved him wrong."_

_ "…Okay," Akio said. "In that case, what am I supposed to do?"_

_ "If you free those that he is using to power himself, he will become much weaker. He is overly powerful from being fueled by so many memories from so many perspectives. He'll only be stronger the closer he gets to the sources. I mean no insult when I say this: even you and your friend together wouldn't stand a chance against him now." It stopped for a moment. "I've been impressed by your ability to hold him off already; you and your friend have so much hope for success. You have faith that can only be known by children. The light is strongest in the hearts of the young. Hope fades with age. Right now, it is your strength; hold on to it. If you have that hope to power you, you will always be strong and safe; the moment you give up on that hope, you are entirely vulnerable. Hold on to that light and never let it fade. This is your destiny. You are light, not darkness. You can't give up on that."_

_ "So," Akio began. "I'm certainly not planning on giving that up; but what's the deal? What happened to saying you'd take over if I give up and that you hated me? What happened to you being angry at me for finally not fearing my light?"_

_ The darkness shrugged. "I suppose that's still true, in a way; but you have shown remarkable mercy once more by giving me a form to communicate through; you want to understand, not force me out."_

_ "And… have you been trying to say that Xehanort wasn't always dark?" Akio asked. "You said yourself that you aren't Xehanort; you are his darkness. Does that mean that he was like me? That he was mostly light?"_

_ "There was a time, yes," it said. "But he let me win; he wanted me to win so he could use my power. He thought I was more powerful than he ever could be on his own… but he was wrong. Yes, I was stronger than him at the time; but if he had fought as you have, he would have gained his own strength, like you. He took the easy path and never felt like getting off. It was his downfall."_

_ Akio thought for a moment. "So… is that all?"_

_ "Just don't be afraid; you are you. You cannot be defeated by Origin. You need not fear the darkness or the light. Both are your power. You are brave; yet you realize you have weaknesses." It sighed. "You are you; nobody else. Remember that and you will succeed in so much on your own." It looked up. "I have to go; your friend is calling you… You are something incredible, Akio. Hold onto that." It faded into the shadows._

Akio woke up with a start, punching Haru as he sat up, as usual. "Sorry!"

"That's fine. Don't worry about it." Haru seemed panicked.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know how to control the ship; I tried and I don't know where we are now… the map just doesn't make any sense," Haru said. "I'm sorry I'm stupid."

"You're not stupid." Akio jumped up and ran to the controls. He quickly examined everything, including the map. "We're fine," he reassured Haru. "You were just looking at the map wrong; I think we're almost to another world."

"Really?" Haru was relieved. He rushed over to see for himself. "Oh. I thought we were that dot over there."

"Nope." Akio pointed. "We're this one. The other is just used as a point of reference."

"Good," Haru sighed. "I thought I completely messed things up… I guess I just have dumb luck."

"Maybe luck, but not dumb luck, because you aren't dumb," Akio insisted. "But anyway, don't worry; I'll take over now. Thanks for giving me a chance to sleep."

"No problem; I'll be glad to let you take over." Haru laughed. "But if it comes to it again, I can try again for a while."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind," Akio said, grinning. He was glad to be awake. He wasn't going to tell anyone about the dream. People could easily misunderstand and accuse him of… well, of something. He knew Haru wouldn't but... it still was uncomfortable. He laughed quietly along with Haru as they returned to their usual, goofy teenage selves. _I'm me, not anyone else, _he thought; and he believed it.


	16. Act XVI: Trials

Act XVI: Trials

A large grey castle loomed above a dark, gloomy city in the distance. A heart shaped moon hovered above, lighting the area with its bright beams. Could this be The World That Never Was? As Akio brought the ship closer, he was filled with a sense of sorrow and dread; he tried to put it to the side. "Haru, we're here… wherever it is." Akio pointed towards the world as Haru came over to look.

"Well, it's certainly… impressive," he said. "I guess it's worth checking, right?"

"These symbols though; they don't look like Heartless emblems… Are they Nobody emblems?" Akio asked, knowing that Haru wouldn't have the answer.

"Maybe. I don't know," Haru said. "Well, guess we get going. No time like the present, right?" He turned to head to the exit.

"Wait!" Akio said. Haru turned to face him as Akio pulled him into a hug.

"Is something wrong?" Haru asked while still being held. "I mean, it's fine, but…"

"I just wanted to hug you. That's all," Akio said, finally letting go. _Just in case it's our last chance,_ he thought morbidly.

Haru studied his face carefully, obviously trying to see if there was some fear or something. He sighed, leaning forward to kiss Akio's forehead. "We're going to get through this, okay?" he promised with a smile.

"Yeah," Akio replied, a bit flustered. "I know." That wasn't a lie; he logically believed and had faith that they would succeed. The feelings of anxiety and fear were strong though, and hard to overcome; but he would try to believe.

They stood looking at each other for what felt like a long time; Haru was beginning to blush. "Um, well, we better get going, right?" he said nervously, looking away and covering his face for a moment.

"Yeah," Akio replied. _Why is he blushing?_ Akio wondered. Neither of them moved. _Oh, _Akio said, figuring it out. He turned Haru's face, kissing him on the cheek.

Haru blinked. "How did you know?"

"I don't know," Akio said with a shrug. "Lucky guess?" He laughed. "Sadly we really do need to start searching this place."

Haru sighed. "I know. So let's go."

Haru was doing his best not to be distracted; he realized he definitely shouldn't want to go back to the ship and make out with Akio for a while…_ When did I get so weird over this?_ It was only a kiss on the cheek; not quite what he wanted, but still a start. But it was just that; a kiss on the cheek. _Seriously._

There really was an important task at hand. Still, it was hard not to look at his friend… _or more? I don't know…_ That only made things more difficult.

"This is so bizarre," Akio said, snapping Haru out of his daze. "There's nothing around here; no enemies or anything at all."

"Maybe we're going the wrong way," Haru suggested sadly. That would suck; coming all this way, finding some place that seems right and it's not. He was sick of this journey; he wanted to find their families and go home.

"No, I think we're going in the right direction," Akio replied. "I just have this feeling."

"Well, I guess if you're being positive it's a good sign then, right?" Haru said with a grin.

Akio shrugged. "I don't know about positive; I feel like we're about to face something big; you know, something super difficult."

"Well, all we can do is keep going and maybe be a little cautious." He was nervous as well; his heart was beating a mile a minute.

As if on cue, as they turned the corner, they came face to face with Origin. "Impressive," he said while clapping. "You made it past some very powerful memories: Roxas, Xion, and Axel. Very surprising indeed." The duo prepared to attack. "All the more useful you will be… It's so nice of you to come right into my trap; you're making things so much easier on me."

"Back off!" Haru yelled. "Where are they?"

"Very impatient, aren't you, Haru?" Origin laughed. "Well, you'll be joining them soon enough."

"Cut the crap," Akio said calmly. "What's it going to be? Is this going to be easy? Or are you going to make it hard on yourself?" Haru could barely tell that Akio was bluffing. _What's he planning?_

"Hmm. How rude," Origin said. "I suppose I'll have to teach you a lesson." A shadow appeared on the ground as he tried to summon another memory.

"Don't be such a coward," Akio taunted, slamming his Keyblade into the darkness, causing it to disperse. "Stay and fight us yourself, if you're so powerful."

Origin narrowed his eyes. "Very well." His weapon appeared. "I suppose it will save some time."

"What are you doing?" Haru said quietly while they were still within hearing range.

"Trust me. He'll take us to them, just watch," Akio whispered, thankful that Origin didn't seem to hear. Haru looked confused and skeptical, but he nodded.

The fight was difficult, but they were managing. Akio tried to keep the attacks aimed at him; he could anticipate most of Origin's attacks through instinct. Akio was glad that he seemed to be right; they were being led up a staircase as Akio managed to injure him.

Haru finally caught up and took a swing; it went right through. "I still can't hit him!" he yelled in annoyance.

_No crap,_ Akio wanted to say. _I can see that._ "Just watch my back, then!" Akio yelled back, wishing his friend hadn't said anything.

A portal appeared behind Origin. They burst into a room filled with glowing orbs. Within these orbs were what they hoped for; the Keyblade Masters. "There's no way you'll ever defeat me here," Origin bragged.

"Haru! Over there!" Akio yelled, gesturing at a keyhole hidden in the corner. "Use your Keyblade!" He blocked an attack.

"Why you little brat!" Origin tried to get past Akio, who blocked his advance. "You can't get them out, you know," he said. Akio could see it was a bluff; unlike the real Xehanort, Origin was a liar.

Akio blocked him move for move. "Keep going, Haru!" he yelled as he saw a strange doorway forming in the distance. Within the door stood a familiar form: his darkness. _Now's your chance,_ it said. _Take him in here so he can't stop Haru! You can beat him once the others are freed; but only you can. Keep Haru safe!_ Swinging his Keyblade with all of his strength, Akio managed to knock Origin through the portal. He followed right behind. He knew that trusting his darkness was the only choice; what other hint did he have?

But when he heard Haru's voice yell as the opening closed behind him, he was afraid he would regret this; but it was too late now.

_The darkness lies_

_Beyond the edge._

_So I can't fall._

_I can't do it all_

_But I have to try_

_For him._

((Author's note: Almost there! Sorry I suck at fight scenes…))


	17. Act XVII: Fate

Act XVII: Fate

"Akio!" Haru tried to follow his friend. The portal closed right after Akio was through. "You idiot! You shouldn't have gone on your own!" He knew he couldn't be heard. He sighed. There still were no enemies around, just the Keyblade Masters lying on the ground. They were beginning to wake up. He turned around and looked at them.

"Where… am I?" asked Riku, the first to fully gain consciousness. He rubbed his head before looking around. "Wait. We're out?" He stood up, his eyes darting from friend to friend. They were still fighting to wake up.

Haru stared in awe. He would recognize that face anywhere. "Dad?" he asked quietly.

Riku quickly turned to study him. "Haru?" Riku asked. Haru nodded, standing there awkwardly. "Haru, it's really you? You're here!" He rushed over and pulled Haru into a tight hug.

"Yeah, I'm here dad. I'm here." Haru was overwhelmed with emotions, but he quickly regained his composure and ended the embrace. "But now I need _your _help."

"What's wrong?" he asked, hearing the urgency in Haru's voice.

"Okay. So here's the deal." _Stay composed like he would handle this_. "I'll explain everything later, but for now, I'll get straight to the point: Akio came here with me. But he's the only one who could damage Origin, so he held him back while I got you out. The thing is Akio went through a door over there after Origin. On his own." Haru was trying not to panic. _Oh my god, _he thought. _I can't lose him! _He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Then as I was trying to catch up, the door disappeared. And now I don't know how to get in there! We've got to figure out how to help him!"

"Calm down," Riku said. "We'll figure this out."

"What's going on?" asked a voice that he recognized from the past. Kairi? The others sat up, one by one.

Haru took a breath and quickly explained again, his panic growing the longer Akio remained beyond his sight. Sora and Kairi panicking certainly didn't help any. No one was coming up with a plan. They were trying, but too many ideas and too many emotions were flying around the room.

All this did was make things worse. Haru felt helpless. And he didn't like that; he wasn't used to it, at least without Akio by his side to reassure him all the way. With no productive conversations happening, Haru walked over to where the portal had been. He examined the area, searching for a sign of anything.

_Come on, there's got to be something._ The Masters failed to notice him bring out his Wayfinder and hold it out. A portal appeared in front of him. He went through without hesitation.

_(At the same time)_

Origin stood up and faced Akio. They were in a strange, white room with no end in sight. "You were ignorant enough to bring me here alone?" he said menacingly. "One would have thought you were smarter than that. You only now freed the Masters that I overpowered long ago, and yet you, who haven't even wielded a Keyblade for a year, decide that you can defeat ME by yourself?" He grabbed his weapon, preparing to attack.

Akio conjured his Keyblade, ready to fight. He wasn't afraid; he was strong. "I'm not alone. There may not be anyone here with me physically, but Haru will always be there for me in my heart." _Geez that's cheesy._

"This is going to be easy; fighting such a simpleton as you alone." Origin lunged at him.

Akio dodged the attack, getting in a hit of his own from behind. They matched attacks hit by hit, blocking each other's strikes. Akio was growing tired; but he pressed on. _I can't give up!_

He saw his chance. He had to bluff, let himself be injured. He knew enough about Xehanort to know that Origin would take the time to brag if he believed he had won. If Akio could pretend that he was injured enough to die… He let Origin give a possibly fatal blow, unable to prevent a scream as the pain slammed over him.

"You're such an idiot," Origin said, laughing. "Such a little kid, believing he can defeat me." He walked forward to where Akio lay bleeding on the ground. "It's such a shame, really; you could have been so much more useful than all of the others combined. So much potential. So many nightmares. So much darkness." He moved ever closer, preparing to finish the job. "Too bad I can't chance you making even more of a mess of things." He raised his weapon.

Ignoring the pain, Akio jumped into action. Darting behind Origin he thrust his Keyblade through Origin's heart. "You're the idiot," he said as he saw Origin's eyes widen in surprise and fear.

"How—?" Origin said in a pained voice.

"You're too confident." Akio pulled his sword out in case he needed to attack again. "You forget that you have weaknesses; at least I know mine."

Origin turned and made last attempt of attack, but Akio countered. Origin yelled in disgust, glaring directly into his eyes. "You've made a grave mistake… Nightmares only return stronger." He slowly dissolved into a dark mist which dissipated throughout the room. It rushed towards Akio. He blocked it with his Keyblade. The mist was blown away in a burst of light, bouncing off of the sword as though repelled by a strong wind.

Akio fell to the floor of the strange room. "Ouch," he said, frustrated, clutching his injured side. He had nearly let himself be cut in half. _That didn't go exactly according to plan._ He fell to his hands and knees, fighting to breathe. He felt tears burning his eyes; not from the physical pain, but because he knew it was over. _I just found Mom and Dad, and now I won't even get to see them, to talk to them again… And Haru… I'm going to lose Haru. _The wound was too large for him to heal with his magic. "I'm sorry Haru…" he held onto his Wayfinder as if it would still keep him safe. He always thought it did. He let tears fall as he fell onto his stomach, his limbs giving up on their attempt to hold up his weak body. "I'm so sorry." He closed his eyes, thinking it was the end.

"AKIO!" he heard a familiar voice yell, footsteps running over with incredible speed.

He slowly opened his eyes to look towards the sound. "Haru?" he said weakly. He groaned and let his head fall. "I'm sorry."

"What the hell are you sorry for?" Haru asked in a panicked voice, carefully picking him up. "Let's get you out of here before that stupid portal closes again!" He felt the speed of Haru running. He closed his eyes and held on, his arms around Haru's neck for support. "Stay with me, Akio. Don't leave me." Haru said. "You have to stay awake. I need you to be okay."

"Sorry," Akio said once again, trying to keep his eyes open. "Put me down. If I walk it'll be easier to say awake."

Haru reluctantly set Akio on his feet, wrapping one of his arms around his shoulder to support him. They were almost to the exit anyway. "You're okay. You're going to be okay," Haru said over and over again, more to himself than to Akio.

Akio still felt that he might not make it, but he wanted to do his best. Haru was right; he needed him. He couldn't leave him to face everything alone, not after all they had been through. They made it through the portal… but a few steps out, everything went grey and he felt himself falling.

Haru stopped Akio from hitting the ground at full speed. "Akio?" he asked. When there was no response, he carefully put him down. "Akio, wake up! WAKE UP DAMN IT!" He shook him gently. He hadn't even noticed that his friend hadn't been breathing until he began again. The adults rushed over, trying to shove Haru out of the way. They all crowded in to cast their spells and use their potions on the injured boy. Haru didn't have enough energy left to help, but he sure as hell wasn't leaving Akio's side. "You idiot! Wake up!" Haru demanded, his voice shaking.

"Get back!" Riku said, grabbing Haru by the arm.

Haru tugged it away. "I'm not going anywhere!" he said. "He freaks out when he wakes up under the best circumstances. I don't think being surrounded by people that may as well be strangers would be the best option!" His eyes were wild and panicked. _You can't make me leave him… He's everything to me_, he thought in despair.

After seeing his eyes, Riku stopped trying to pull him away. "… Sorry," he said, turning to resume his cure spells.

Not that the spells seemed to be helping. Haru held Akio's hand, their Wayfinders between their palms. _Please wake up, _he silently pleaded. He wasn't going to cry in front of so many people, but he was close to the breaking point. The adults ran out of energy and looked on in silent dismay. Sora and Kairi were crying, holding each other, watching their son die in front of their eyes. They stepped back to give some space. _Please… I love you…_

As he finally let tears fall, Haru felt Akio's hand tighten around his own. "Akio?"

And of course, in true form, Akio shot up with a punch that hit Haru in the face before opening his eyes. Akio blinked. "Uh… Sorry?" he said weakly. "Ouch," he said, clutching his side.

"You think I mind being punched in the face when I thought you were dead? Seriously?" Haru hugged him. "God. You're such an idiot."

"Yep. As always…" Akio winced. "Can you not hug me so hard? I really hurt."

"Oh! Sorry!" Haru let go, looking embarrassed.

Akio wiped some tears from Haru's cheeks. "It's okay. Really." He looked around as he saw people approaching. "Uh… Hi?" he said nervously. He quickly recognized two faces. "Mom? Dad?" He was pulled into the grips of a gentle hug. Shocked, he did his best to hug them back, but it hurt to open his arms. They were crying too much to speak. "Um… You can stop crying now?" He was extremely confused. _Is this real?_ If he couldn't feel their touch, he would have thought this was all a dream.

They fussed over him for a long time. Akio just sat there awkwardly, wearing a weak smile and trying not to show he was in pain. Haru spoke up. "Can we, you know, try to get him some medical treatment or something? He's in a lot of pain."

"Oh!" Akio's parents said at the same time. They helped him up.

Haru gave them space, a little bit to Akio's dismay. But Akio understood that he was letting this be their moment. He had his moment with him, and he would have more moments later.

_Up and up_

_Shining bright_

_I've finally found_

_My guiding light._

_I do not know_

_What more will come_

_But we'll survive together._


	18. Interlude: Home

Interlude: Home

Sighing, Akio looked out the window of his new room overlooking the sea. He never had return to those abusive people who called themselves his aunt and uncle. Mind you, it had taken a lot of fighting to make sure of that. They even had tried to take it to court, but quickly found out that Sora and Kairi were still his legal guardians, even after being gone for so long, and they could no longer hide the things that they had done to him for all of those years.

It was quite a fight; in the end, Akio was asked what he wanted to do. His aunt spoke, sounding far too sugary. "Don't you want to come home, Akio sweetie?" she pleaded.

Akio stared at her coldly. "I'd rather die than go back to that hell." His voice was calm, but the fury was evident in his glare. "You two can go back and rot on your own." His uncle growled; Sora and Kairi looked shocked. He had casually walked away, never looking back.

He was still in a lot of pain, but he was home. Finally home… at least for now. There were still Heartless out there wreaking havoc all over the place. They had to be taken care of and contained before they could cause too much damage… But Akio felt like he could relax at least for a little while, while they figured out a plan of action.

And this was his real home, where he really belonged. Haru and Riku were staying with them because… Well, obviously because Haru's mom remarried. _Talk about awkward_. Akio was fine with them living there. He didn't like being far away from Haru. He wasn't sure what to make of their current situation; were they still 'just friends' or what? …Either way, so long as they didn't have to be apart for long, Akio didn't mind.

He stared at his Wayfinder. Things had been awkward between them since their families were around. They couldn't act the same as they had been. It could be seen as strange or awkward, even without the romantic stuff. At least, that's how Akio explained it. He hoped they weren't growing apart now that they weren't forced to be around each other.

Haru sat on the couch in the living room, looking at a book but not reading the words. He hadn't talked to Akio much lately and it was killing him. When you get used to being around someone every waking hour, you get used to their company… even if things hadn't been as complicated as they were.

He was sulking._ Is Akio mad at me?_ The adults had asked him a lot of questions, many about Akio since he wasn't answering. Haru refused to give any details, but he did give a few hints: don't be pushy unless it is life or death, seriously, don't do it or he'll just block you out. That rule alone basically covered all they needed to know unless Akio told them. Still, they kept pestering Haru. They were worried about Akio; Haru was too, and he knew it was justified, but he had Akio's trust and wasn't going to throw that away. And everyone had a hard time believing that they hadn't been close friends from the beginning, even though they weren't interacting much right now. He never responded; what was there to say that wouldn't worry them more? The truth was, Haru was the first person that Akio had _ever_ been able to trust since Sora and Kairi disappeared.

He groaned. _What can I do? _ He closed the book, his Wayfinder now in his hand. _How am I going to talk to him? _ He just wanted to have a conversation at very least. He was tired of all this hiding.

Sighing again, Akio got out of bed and went down to the living room. Haru sat alone on the couch. Akio went over to sit beside him. "Hey," Akio said, crossing his arms out of habit.

"Hey," Haru said, looking at Akio. He glanced towards the kitchen, where the adults were talking. "They aren't coming in anytime soon, so…" Haru pulled Akio into a kiss. Akio was shocked. When he didn't say anything, Haru frowned and let go. "Sorry." He looked away.

Akio turned Haru's head to face him, leaning over to press his lips softly against Haru's. "Don't be sorry. Really, don't be sorry." Akio grinned, glancing over the couch again. Seeing no movement from the kitchen, he spoke quietly. "You haven't been talking to me much, so I was worried you didn't want to be around me anymore."

"Um, I'd never do that, dummy," Haru said, just as quietly. "I just didn't want to act 'weird' around our parents. You know, they're still adjusting to being back around us anyway. I don't want to freak them out or anything."

"We can't act forever, you know. We at least have to act like we had been before… before this," Akio said as he pushed stray hairs from Haru's face.

"You're right," Haru said, grabbing Akio's hands. "Anyway, we shouldn't really worry about freaking them out. I mean, it's our lives, not theirs, right?" He paused. "…And to be honest, I'm in love with you, so I really don't want to hide that anymore."

Though shocked, Akio knew he must say something soon. "…Well, that's okay. I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you too." Their lips met once more. "So yeah… I don't really want to hide that anymore either."

"Really? You really love me?" Haru asked, joy in his eyes.

Akio tried not to laugh at Haru's expression. "Yes. I love you."

"I love you too, but I already said that. This is just so freaking awesome!" He hugged him tightly.

"Seriously though, how are we going to tell our parents?" Akio asked awkwardly.

Haru shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we don't have to worry about it _right_ now. We can tell them eventually, or they can figure it out."

Akio heard movement in the kitchen. "Then I don't think we'll tell them yet." They shared a quick kiss before moving to a less awkward position. They stared into each other's eyes, knowing that no matter what happened they would always be together, as friends or more. They could figure out the details later.

End Part 1

((Author's note: Thank you for sticking through to the end! Hopefully people have enjoyed this story enough to want more. Well, there is more to come! I already have a summary/outline for a long sequel planned out, and _at least_ two short stories. I'm kind of in love with Akio and Haru, so I'm not leaving my babies yet. Thanks for reading!))


	19. Short Number One: The Agreement

((Author's note: This one's _mostly _funny. It's impossible for me to write something completely light hearted and move the plot along.))

Short Number One: The Agreement

_ Dreams like this used to be nightmares, but now… Akio honestly thought his darkness was hilarious._

_ Currently they were having a staring contest. They gave up on chess a while ago; it's a hard game to play when you constantly know your opponent's next move. "You know," Akio said without averting his eyes. "Do we even have to blink here?" The contest had been going on for… well, it felt like hours, but there wasn't a specific way time worked here, so who knew?_

_ "I don't know," the darkness replied, blinking in the process. "Hey, you cheated!"_

_ "Did not!" he protested. They both laughed._

_ It wasn't long ago that they agreed on this arrangement; the darkness was going to be there, so they might as well get along, right? So, recently they had been hanging out like this some nights when Akio would otherwise be having nightmares. Chilling in whatever surrounding Akio decided on never failed to be an improvement over the dream he would otherwise be having. Today, they sat in lawn chairs on the beach at midnight._

_ "I have to ask," the darkness began, "what made you decide to keep me company on nights like this?"_

_ "Hmm…" Akio shrugged. "Well, I thought you might be lonely, and it gets me away from those horrible dreams, so it works out."_

_ "Yeah, well, I guess you would know. You are the one who made me have emotions." It smirked. "You're a weird kid, Akio."_

_ "Thanks," he said sarcastically. "But you know: if we're going to keep being friends, you really need a name."_

_ "First of all, friends? That is the weirdest thing I've ever heard… I especially never expected it from you; I like it." It tilted its head. "Second of all, you want to name me? That's even stranger than the last thing."_

_ "Eh, what can I say; normal is boring." He smiled. "Any ideas on what you'd want your name to be?"_

_ The shadow shook its head. "And now you're asking me what I want. You are insane, dude."_

_ Akio was thoroughly amused at what this entity had become. He never expected it to go this far. "Trying out slang again, huh?"_

_ "Yep."_

_ He couldn't help but laugh. "Well, you're darkness, but that's a terrible name… So what about Yami? It's a different language, but it means darkness."_

_ "Yami…" The entity raised its eyebrows. "That is freaking awesome." Yami nodded in approval._

_ "So, Yami, what do you want to do now?"_

_ "Rock paper scissors over whether you tell Haru about me today?"_

_ He shook his head. "Nah, that's too risky. I don't want him to think I'm insane just yet. How about we use it to decide what new hair style to give you? You look too much like me."_

_ "Deal." They shook hands._

_ Yami sighed. "I wanted the Mohawk… Why do I have to have a ponytail instead?"_

_ "Hey, it's a masculine ponytail, so shut up!" Akio sternly said. "Besides, I won fair and square."_

_ "But Akio…" Yami childishly begged._

_ He shook his head. "No. You're keeping this for a while."_

_ The entity put on his best pout. "You're so mean…" He soon became serious. "You're going to have to tell Haru about me and all of the Xehanort stuff eventually, you know."_

_ Akio rolled his eyes. "I will, I will."_

_ "And your parents too," Yami insisted. "They'll find out eventually."_

_ "They won't understand."_

_ "I know they're freaking annoying, but I think it would be safer to tell them." The shadow crossed his arms._

_ "Not today, okay?" Akio said, subconsciously mirroring Yami's movement._

_ "Fine." He rolled his eyes._

_ "Stop moping." Akio frowned._

"_Anyway, Haru's about to wake you up. Try not to punch him, okay?" Yami teased._

_ "Haha. Thanks Yami." Akio waved. "See you later."_

_ "See you later, Akio." Yami smiled._

_Yami watched Akio disappear, returning to reality. Sighing, he sat on the cold floor of the dark ruins where he would wait until next time. Nothing to do. He was alone. His smile quickly faded. All alone. _

_ For a moment, a lingering thought, a remnant of his prior host, passed through his head. "What are you thinking, having a friend?" Xehanort's voice whispered. "I wonder why he trusts you. You've lied to him so much already, trying to comfort him. You know you aren't the only part of me he holds." The voice chuckled sinisterly. "I don't 'feel remorse' for what I did. I will gain control of this weakling… Or is that why you go with this ruse?"_

_ Yami gritted his teeth, clenching his fists. "Go away, Xehanort. I'm not letting anything happen to Akio." He shoved the voice back into its corner. "I'm not letting anything happen to my friend." After things were silent once more, he whispered: "Because I _am _sorry."_


	20. Short Number Two: The Hoodie

The Hoodie (A New Beginning)

Akio pulled his hooded sweatshirt from the dryer, holding it out to look at it. He had known that a white garment would certainly hold the stains from the blood of his prior wounds, but he had expected some fading. Nope.

His mom, dad, and Riku had all told him to throw it away; it was tattered and bloodstained and several sizes too large… but it meant a lot to Akio. He refused to throw it out. That's why he was standing there now, warm fabric in his hands. He hugged it to his chest, glad to be the only one home at that moment. He held it to his face and breathed in the smell of the fabric, faint with memories of blood and pain even after being washed. He could feel that tears were welling up in his eyes.

Sure, it was no longer useful. Sure, it should be trash. Akio wore a new hoodie now, this one black and not quite as oversized, having belonged to Haru. However, Akio loved his old one and what it symbolized. His transformation, from a useless terrified teenager into a slightly more useful and less scared one. Each stain and slice wrote a sentence; together, the tattered fabric was a novel telling the tales of what he had been through. He smiled softly, carrying the garment to his room. This object had been a security blanket long before the previous journey; now, it still symbolized that and so much more. It showed how something could be torn to pieces and come back and be saved, even if wounded.

This sweater was special; he had worn it for so long. He doubted his father even remembered; there was no way he could know… It had once been Sora's. It had been too big even for him; it was a joke gift, but he had worn it sometimes anyway. For Akio, though, it was the world. It helped him hang on to the memories that would otherwise fade away. The one rip that had already been in the sleeve was one that Akio himself had caused before Sora disappeared… An incident with scissors or something. He had fit in the sweater alongside his father whenever he had been scared; he remembered that warmth. Inside the hood, his own name was scribbled with red marker that was faded these days. He had gotten into so much trouble over that. He smiled at the thought.

Long before he could even dream of keeping the garment on, he had used it as a blanket. It had been hard to sneak into his room at his aunt and uncle's unnoticed, but he succeeded. Later on, they simply didn't pay enough attention to know it was the one he wore. He had worn it every day, only taking off to wash it, since his thirteenth birthday. Now his fifteenth was approaching, and his fate had changed.

He grabbed the needle and thread that he had snuck out of the sewing box and began the repairs. There were only two tears in the fabric that required repair… The slice in the upper right arm, as bloodstained as it was. He felt he could fix that one; that was the point where his life had fallen into place out of all the confusion. That was when he realized how he felt about Haru… Haru was the repair to his soul; now he could repair this breach in the fabric of this sweater. He then moved to the tear in the side from his near death experience; he had survived, thus he could allow the pieces to be together once more.

He certainly wasn't skilled with sewing, so the seams looked like white, jagged lines on top of the crimson bloodstains; perhaps like a heart monitor, remembering all of his close calls. He chuckled, staring for another moment before putting the hoodie on a hanger. Holding it for another moment, he placed it into the closet. So many memories… he wasn't about to throw that away.

Haru caught up with his father in the store. They were shopping for a birthday gift for Akio, and none of the adults were having any luck. Haru knew of only one thing for sure that would have any meaning to Akio.

"We need to get this," he announced, holding up a hanger with a pure white, gigantic long sleeve hooded sweatshirt.

Riku raised an eyebrow. "That thing is way too big for Akio."

"It's the same size as his old one," Haru said. "So it's the perfect size… Though I never knew how he even kept the thing on, especially while fighting."

"What size is that thing?" Riku asked, staring at the huge garment.

"Oh," Haru said. "It's a 4x. So is the old one. I checked once."

"4x?" He looked puzzled.

Just then, Sora caught up to them. Each carried gift bags. "Hey!" Haru waved at them as they approached. "What did you guys find?"

"A couple of books," Kairi answered. "That's all I could figure out that he even slightly likes in the store." She looked quizzically at the sweater. "What's with that?"

"It's for Akio," Haru replied. "It's like his old one."

"Hate to state the obvious, but that's too big." Sora said.

"That's kind of the point." Haru shrugged. "He was so sad to stop wearing that old one; he refused to throw it away. So, I figured we could get him a similar one; sure it's not the same, but a reminder and something familiar."

"He did really freak out when we even talked about getting rid of it." Kairi sighed. She was guilty for having upset him that much; it had resulted in a worse explosion than usual.

Haru chuckled. "He freaked out when he had to take it off so I could see an injury better while we looked for you guys." He sighed. "I don't know why it is, but it's special to him."

Riku looked from Sora to the sweater and back again. "Hey, didn't I get you a joke gift the year we disappeared?"

Sora paused for a moment in thought. "Yeah…" He blinked. "A huge white hoodie; you said I was going to need it in a few years…" He picked up this sweater. "Do you think…?" He looked at Haru. "How long has he had that one?"

Haru shrugged. "I couldn't talk to him, so I don't know for sure; but he started wearing it in middle school. It was even bigger on him then." He looked between the adults. "Do you think it's yours?"

"It's unlikely…" Sora sighed. The look on his face made it clear that he didn't see Akio caring that much.

Riku interrupted. "Haru, you said it was a 4x?"

"Yeah," Haru said. "Same as the old one."

"Weird question; do you know if there was a place on the left sleeve by the hand where it was cut?" Sora asked.

"Um, well…" Haru blinked. "Sorry, I don't pay quite that much attention to detail." He shook his head. "Anyway, we're getting this, right? I think it will cheer him up." They nodded in agreement.

Akio sat in the kitchen uncomfortably, a small slice of his birthday cake sitting in front of him. He secretly loved this annoying ritual that had just taken place, with the candles and the cake and the singing; he hadn't had that in a long time. The problem was, now he was being watched after taking such a small piece of cake. Little did they know that it was because they were watching that he didn't take more… Well, Haru knew. That was obvious; but he couldn't exactly just tell his parents about that.

He slowly took a slow bite, his hand shaking. He blinked. _That actually tastes really good._ "It's delicious," he said, smiling. He saw the relief on his parents' faces. "Thanks for going to all of this trouble… It's just another day." He was sincerely trying today; he was trying to control his temper and let this day be pleasant.

"It's not just another day!" Sora insisted. "It's your birthday, and it's the first one we've seen in eleven years!"

"Besides," Kairi said with a smile, "it wasn't any trouble at all."

Akio shrugged, unsure how to reply. He listened quietly to the conversations going around as he ate his cake, even getting a second, larger piece. He was glad no one made a big deal out of it.

"Can we give him his gifts?" Haru asked impatiently when he finished the second piece.

"Gifts?" Akio asked. Sure, he had known in theory that there would be gifts, but he still hadn't _really_ imagined it would happen.

"Yes, gifts." Haru nodded.

"Um, okay?" Akio wasn't sure what to say. He looked down when he saw the sadness in his parent's eyes at his confusion. He knew it was because they kept finding more and more out about what he had gone through; the things missing from his life and the things that shouldn't have been there at all.

Several boxes wrapped in colorful paper were placed in front of him. He tried to hide his shock at the quantity as he was directed to open the first one. There were a couple of books, which he thanked them for. However, the last box was slightly larger, and Haru was impatient for him to open it; it was from him.

Akio grinned slyly as he dramatically opened the last gift, laughing at Haru's pouting. He opened the lid and stared at what lay inside. Slowly, he pulled out a gigantic, white hooded sweatshirt. It had its differences from his other, for sure; but it was so similar. Akio didn't know what to say; he looked at Haru in silence.

"You know, since your old one is in such bad shape." He grinned. "I know it's not a _replacement_, because the other seems to mean so much to you, but you know, something similar."

Akio looked at the sweater once more in silence. Inside he was crying; a torrent of emotions, both happiness and sorrow, washed over him. "The beginning of a new era," he said quietly, barely keeping his voice from shaking. _God I love Haru so much._

The grin that crossed Haru's face was like sunlight in an eclipse. "Yeah!"

Saying that he would return, he went around the corner and changed from the smaller black garment into the familiar look and feel of this new hoodie. It was close enough to the exact size of the other that it fell off his shoulder in the same place before he tightened the hood's strings; the sleeves were too long and covered half of his hands. He immediately felt safer when it was zipped; more relaxed. Sure, this would never be the same; but this one was special in its own ways. His first gift from Haru. His new beginning. He came back into the kitchen. "Thank you," he said once more.

Haru came over and pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it." He grinned._ And I love you._ He hoped the later thought was implied. "Thanks."

Akio sat on his bed, old sweater in front of him and the new garment still on his shoulders. He ran his hands over the tattered fabric before hanging it up once again.

He could tell that his parents were a little jealous of the reaction compared to their gifts; they always were a bit bothered by how much closer he was to Haru than them. But they couldn't have had any idea how much this would mean. There was no way they could have.

There was no way they ever would… Because he would never tell them. They expected only hatred and anger from him; he would provide what they foresaw. He would hide his compassion deep within; he would return to his previous attitude of defense.

Because at least then, they'd think they knew him… Not that that was enough.

He wanted them to know the truth. But the truth would hurt them. They didn't need someone so broken. He could never be the son that they once had… He could never be enough.

These things were true in his mind; he could never live up to anyone's expectations. Why would it be any different with them? They surely had some kind of idea how they wanted him to be when he was this age, and he highly doubted a failure at life was what they imagined. No matter how much he changed, he knew it would never be enough.

That's why all that kept him there was Haru. For some reason, Haru understood. For some reason, Haru put his expectations aside when they met again and embraced the person he was after all of those years of suffering. For some reason, Haru was able to love him as he was. Somehow, Haru felt that he was enough for him… He deserved so much better, but he was still there. He still was the one who had given him the gift. Not just the hoodie; Haru had given him the gift of a new beginning.

And for Akio, that was more than enough reason to stay.

((Author's Note: God! Why can't I write something happy for poor Akio? Why did I add the last section? I just want to hug him and tell him everything will be alright in the end. I'm working on the official Part 2; I just am waiting to post it in case of changes, which indeed have happened.))


End file.
